Supernatural: Having Faith and keeping Hope
by Ashes of Winter
Summary: This story starts when Sam, Dean and John are in the car accident at the end of season one. The story is going to follow the episodes with one change, two sisters, Hope and Faith are going to come into the picture. The first chapter touches base with the sisters childhood and then jumps to 12 years later. What if Sam and Dean found the female versions of themselves?
1. The Yellow eyed Demon

****I do not own anything Supernatural, some of the ideas in these chapters came from the episodes themselves and some of the same lines are used to. I wanted to keep it the same and still add something new. I hope it helps the readers connect with the story better. :) Enjoy!

**The Yellow-eyed Demon**

The hay field had not been cut yet and the tall grass tickled her elbows as she ran from her older sister, her long brown hair dancing in the wind and her soft but beautiful face glimmering in the heat of the summer's sun. Hope was the younger of the two, the tender hearted one. Her bright emerald like eyes were honest and soft.

"Ha! I got you!" Faith yelled out as she tapped her sister on the shoulder, "You're it!" She said with a big grin.

"It's not fair! You're faster than me and I can never catch you." Hope whined as she brushed off the bugs from her sundress.

Faith smiled at her baby sister, she was the tougher of the two. Her face was like porcelain, hard, but beautiful. She ran her fingers threw her tangled long blond hair before flopping down on the tall grass. She stared up at the sky, the sun reflecting in her sapphire like eyes. "Don't worry sissy, if there is ever a time you have to catch me, I will let you."

Hope sighed and took a seat next to her sister, "Why do you always were holy jeans and t-shirts?"

"Well why do you always were those fluffy dress's?" Faith asked as she put her arms behind her head.

"I don't know, because I like them."

"Well there ya go."

The sisters sat there in silence for a moment, just soaking up the sun and the smell of summer. Everything seemed so perfect in their little world, loving parents, a cute little sister and not a care in their mind. It was a time that life was truly perfect.

Quite a bit of time had passed and both the girls had fallen asleep, thunder clouds rolled over, causing the sun to run away. Rain drops began to fall, a few hit Faith on the face causing her to wince and wake up. She took in her surroundings, and soon realized that they were going to get poured on.

"Hope wake up we slept to long and it looks like it's going to rain." She shook her sister gently, Hope moaned and rolled over,

"Just a few more minutes?" She pleaded through sleepy eyes.

"No, get up now we have to go!" Faith grabbed Hope by the arm and flung her up. The two sisters took off running for the house, hoping they could beat the storm. The rain began to fall at a faster rate, soaking the girls. They ran into the house and slammed the door; each of them began to laugh.

"We better change before mom sees us like this." Faith told Hope. She nodded in agreement and they headed for the room they shared. Before Hope made it to the stairs something caught her eye, a quarter size chrisom red spot on the white carpet.

"Faith, what's that?" She pointed to the spot. Faith walked over to it and dabbed it with her finger.

"It's still wet." She looked at it confused, just then a glass from the kitchen fell to the floor and shattered causing Hope and Faith to jump. "Wait here ok?" She sternly told her little sister, Hope obeyed.

Faith walked around the corner and entered the kitchen where she found the shattered glass, she observed the room, she may have only been 12 but she wasn't stupid. She heard gasping coming from the living room, she slowly took a few steps closer when her dad crawled into the door way, blood spewed from his mouth, "r-r-run." He managed to choke up. Faith's face was struck with fear, disobeying her gut and her father she ran to him and cradled his head in her arms. Tears began to fall like rain from her eyes.

"Dad," was all she managed to say.

He reached his hand up to her face and then down to her brass tear drop necklace she and her sister always wore, "Everything is going to be ok, have faith. You and your sister were only given this life because you were strong enough to live it."

She looked at him confused, unsure of what he meant, seconds past and her father was still. Faith sat there for only a moment before realizing her youngest sister Grace was dead as well, her mom lay beside the child's lifeless body, her breathing heavy.

"MOM!" Hope yelled from a few feet away.

Faiths head shot over to Hope, "Damn kid, I told you to stay put!" She yelled as she ran over to her 10 year old sister.

"My girls, come here." Their mother waved them over to where she lay. "I am so sorry this has happened to you, I am so sorry for what you are." They both looked at her confused. Before they had a chance to say anything black smoke shot out of her mouth and disappeared into the ceiling, the smell of sulfur filled the air. Her body fell to the ground and her dead eyes stared off into nothing.

Faith grabbed Hope and ran to the door, "We have to get out of here!" She told her in shock sister. She threw the door open to find a man standing there, his eyes were Yellow and his face was hard. "Hello ladies." He said in a snarky voice.


	2. Have a little Faith

**Have a little faith**

**12 years later**

"Do you think it's gonna hurt?" Faith asked her sister as she sat nervously in the black chair.

Hope was skimming through a binder full of the tattoos people had gotten at the run down shack called "The Flesh Factory." '"Honestly Faith, you're afraid to get your nose pierced? You have like four tattoos, I am sure that hurts much worse than a little pin prick." Hope said with an eye roll.

Faith wrinkled up her nose at her sister as a tattooed man walked in and said, "so are you ready?"

"I guess." She said under her breath. The man walked over to her tilted her head back and stuck a huge needle through the dip in her nose, to her surprise it was fast and she barely felt it. "All done"

"Really? That's it?"

"That's it, all done."

Faith got up from the chair and examined her new diamond stud in the mirror.

"Oh it looks great, now come on we are gonna be late for work!" Hope grumbled as she was already walking out the door.

"You know Hope if you hadn't let all our money get stolen then we wouldn't need a job! We are just lucky you went off to college and almost became a nurse." Faith said as she opened up the driver's side to their 1967 candy apple red Ford Mustang.

"Faith! I do not want to talk about it ok. He was just so….ah men!"

Just two weeks prior Hope had met a handsome and mysterious man. He wooed her and seduced her and ended up running away with more than her heart…her wallet. Faith was not at all impressed, generally when Hope takes a man home she is the one who ends up with his wallet.

The ride was rather quiet all the way to the hospital, and both of them knew it was going to be a quiet day at work. Hope had gone to college for almost two years and almost finished her degree in nursing. With a little help from her delinquent sister, they both had their bachelors degree.

"Ready for another boring day?" Faith asked as she put her jacket in her locker.

"Who knows, maybe we will have some sort of excitement or trauma today."

They walked out of the locker rooms and headed towards the ER, Dr. Smith came blazing around the corner and just about ran into them. "Where the hell have you two been? We need you in the ER!" He turned and ran back through the big double doors.

"You just had to open your mouth didn't you Hope?" Faith said as they ran after the doctor.

Faith was not at all prepared for what they were going to find behind those doors. She had seen horrible things happen to good people, people torn apart by monsters, and nothing left except the parts. But this was different. In that moment she seen a father concerned about his sons and a brother freaking out over the unconscious man on the table. Hope didn't have time to think, she reacted the way an ER nurse would. She ran over to the brother who was far worse and quickly observed the situation.

"Dean! Dean!" The father yelled from across the room. "Sam stay with your brother!"

Sam was tall and well built, his clothes had been torn and he was bleeding from a cut on his head. He ran over to the man on the table, Dean. "Dean!" He yelled, his voice was filled with worry. Hope stopped him before he could reach his brother. She put her hands up on his chest, "Sir you need to calm down, just settle down ok."

"That's my brother!" He yelled at her. She didn't have time for this.

"Faith get him outta here!" She yelled at her sister. Faith snapped out of it and ran over to Sam, he blew past her and headed straight for his brother. She grabbed him by the arm and to his surprise this tiny woman spun him around.

"You cannot save him! He is not going to get any better with you in here. Please let us do our job." She noticed the cut on his head. "Sir, you need to come with me. I need to have a look at your head."

Sam had not even noticed his wounds. He had a medium gash on his forehead and a small gash on his left hand. "But my brother."

"He will be taken care of, I promise. I will fill you in as soon as we know more, but right now you need to come with me ok?

Sam looked down at the tiny woman, her blue eyes were memorizing to him and he felt the want to go with her wherever she was going to take him. He took one last look as they wheeled his brother out of the ER. "Yeah ok."

"Excuse me miss." A man's raspy voice came from behind Hope, she turned around to see the father of the two boys standing in the hall against the wall.

"Sir, you shouldn't be out of bed." She said as she rushed over to him.

"My sons, please I need to see them." He looked weak and pale.

"Ok, just come back to your room with me and I will go get them ok?"

"Ok. My names John by the way."

"Hope."

"Pleasure to meet you Hope."

They walked back to his room in silence and Hope helped him back into his bed.

"Its Sam and Dean right, your boys' names?"

"Yes."

"Alright I will go get Sam and a little bit later once you have some rest I will take you to Dean." She checked his vitals quick and headed for the door.

Hope quickly left the room and went to find her sister.

"There, all stitched up." Faith said as she examined her work, it actually wasn't that bad.

"Thank you. I'm Sam."

"I figured as much, I'm Faith."

Sam's crooked grin stretched across his face and a little laugh escaped his lips

"What?"

"It's just, I have lost a lot of faith over the years and now when I need it the most I seem to find it."

Faith started blushing, and she got butterflies in her stomach when he reached his hand over to hers.

"So thank you for adding a little faith to my life." Sam said.

She wanted to say how corny he was and how that was the worst pick up line ever but for some reason she was speechless. For an unknown reason she knew it wasn't some corny pick up, he wasn't trying to get an easy lay. He was genuine in what he was saying; she truly and honestly had added a little faith to his life.

Just then Hope walked into the tiny room and saw Sam's hand over her sisters, she gave her sister a little glance and Sam took his hand away. "Sam your father would like to see you. I can take you to him if you want."

"Yeah ok." He got up and headed for the door, he stopped and turned to face Faith, "Thanks by the way, for everything." He smiled at her.

"I'll be out in a minute ok." Hope called after Sam. She turned her attention back to her sister. "What the hell was that about?"

"I don't know, he told me I added some faith to his life."

"Oh my god are you serious?"

"Hope you don't understand, when I look at him I see the male version of you. I know that sounds a little creepy but he's oddly like you, soft, sweet, and out to save everyone."

"I am not soft!"

"You know what I mean; he has that look like he'd save a crate of kittens from a rapid dog."

"Hey! That dog was downright going to eat those kittens!" Hope said in her defense as she remembered her childhood.

Faith laughed, "Regardless, he's like you."

A knock came from the door, "Hey, are we going?" Sam asked Hope.

"Yes we are, sorry. Let's go." She stopped at the door and turned to face her sister. "Meet me in Dean's room in 15; we need to take a blood sample." Faith nodded as they left.

Faith sat there in silence for a moment, this strange man was brought into her life by chaos and for some reason he pulled her in. She wanted to know more about him, be near him, and she had no idea why. It scared her and she wanted so badly to talk to her sister about it.

"So how long have you been a nurse?" Sam asked as they walked down the hall.

Hope sighed at his attempt to make small talk, "For about 3 years." She said glancing up at him; he gave her a little smile.

Despite the awkward encounter she had with him and her sister earlier, she seemed to like him enough. For the most part he did seem like a genuine nice guy. His hazel eyes drifted to the floor and she smiled back at him. "Well at least my sister is good at stiches, that scar wont ruin that pretty face of yours."

"Faith is your sister?" he asked, surprise in his voice. Hope nodded. "Huh."

"What? Why was there a huh?" She asked

"Its just odd, you and your sister. Your names, they are unique."

Hope stopped walking just outside of John's room, "Your dad really wanted to see you. I am going to go and check on your brother and I will update you soon."

Sam nodded at her as he walked into his dads room.

Walking down the stairs to Dean's room Hope couldn't help but think of what had gone on between Sam and Faith.

"I'm not soft" she mumbled under her breath with a wrinkle of her nose.

She distractedly walked into Dean's room only to see him seizing and flat lining. Instinctively she yelled "Code Blue!" running towards him she began compressions. As doctors and nurses flooded into the room Hope heard a man yelling "STOP! What the hell are you doing? Get the hell away from me!" Looking around the room her eyes met with Dean's, who was standing in the doorway. She glanced down at the man on the table then back at his reflection in the doorway. Shock ran through her body as he ran toward her screaming that something that was sucking the life out him, "What the hell are you?!" He yelled, looking up. She glanced up to see…well she didn't really know what she was seeing. Just then Faith bolted into the room, "Get the hell outta my way!" she snapped at a young grad student. Once Dean was stabilized Faith's eyes met Hope's, she sighed knowing the truth of his fate. Hope knew it too, Dean was not going to last the night.

Hope rushed over to her sister and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of the room, "Faith! Did you see him?"

"See who?" Faith replied looking rather confused.

"Dean, I saw Dean in the doorway, he looked right at me and then jumped at one of those Harry Potter lookin' things and disappeared. " Hope tried to explain.

Faith raised an eyebrow at her and began to sniff her sister.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked

"Smelling for liquor cause your talking like a drunk person."

"Faith, I am not drunk I swear I saw Dean."

"Ok so you saw Dean, but what Harry Potter lookin thing?"

"You know the Dementors." Hope said looking at her sister in all seriousness.

"Your like a walking dictionary of nerdness."

Hope rolled her eyes, "Regardless, I saw something trying to kill Dean, as soon as it disappeared he stopped flat lining."

"Ok, I'll go out to the car and get our journal along with mom and dads and see what I can find. You better take his blood sample and get it to the lab. I will meet you back here in 20."

Hope nodded and they went their separate ways.

Hope ran into Sam in the hallway, she literally ran right into him. He about knocked her down but he reached out and grabbed her by the waist before she fell, "Easy there, was the fire?" He joked as he helped steady her feet.

"Sorry about that," She said rubbing her cheek, "Jesus your chest is like a brick wall."

Sam laughed, "I was just on my way to see Dean, how is he?"

Hope's eyes left Sam's and found the floor, "Well, he sustained serious injury: blood loss, contusions to his liver and kidney. But it's the head trauma I'm worried about. There are early signs of cerebral edema." She glanced back up at Sam; tears were beginning to form in his eyes.

"What can we do?"

"Well, we won't know his full condition until he wakes up." She hesitated, wondering if she should continue, "If he wakes up."

"If?"

"I have to be honest."

Dean's manifestation or whatever you want to call it was standing next to Hope, neither Sam nor Hope could see him, but he was there, "Oh, screw you, Doc, I'm waking up!" He scowled.

Hope wrinkled her eye brows, "Did you hear that?" She asked Sam, he stared at her for a moment,

"Hear what?"

"Wait, you can hear me?! Hey!" Dean yelled again and waved his hands in front of her face.

She shook her head, "Never mind, back to your brother. Most people with this degree of injury wouldn't have survived this long. He's fighting very hard. But you need to have realistic expectations.

"Come on, Sam. Go find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on me!" Dean yelled at his brother, "Sam?"

"Alright, thanks." Sam said and turned back to his dads room.

Hope's heart sank a little as Sam left, she knew exactly what she would do if it was Faith, she would find some hoodoo priest to lay some mojo on her. She sighed and headed for Johns room.


	3. Keep a little Hope

**Keep a little Hope**

John was lying in a hospital bed, his arm in a sling. Awkwardly one-handed, he pulls something out of his wallet.

"Here. Give them my insurance."

Sam takes the card and smiles, "Elroy McGillicutty?"

"And his two loving sons."

"You know the nurses know our real names."

"Then don't give them the card. So, what else did the doctor say about Dean?"

Hope was just about to knock on the door but stopped when she heard Sam.

"Nothing. Look. The doctors won't do anything, then we'll have to, that's all. I don't know, I'll find some hoodoo priest and lay some mojo on him."

Hope hugs the wall with her back and listens carefully.

"We'll look for someone." John tells his son. "But Sam, I don't know if we're gonna find anyone."

"Why not? I found that faith healer before."

"Right, that was, that was one in a million."

"So what? Do we just sit here with our thumbs up our ass?" Sam paces back and forth impatiently

"No, I said we'd look. All right? I'll check under every stone." John takes in a deep breath, "Where's the Colt?"

"Your son is dying, and you're worried about the Colt?"

"We're hunting this demon, and maybe it's hunting us too. That gun may be our only card."

Hope gasps, "Demon? The Colt?" She studies the ground, confused at what she was hearing, could they be hunters too? She can remember hearing rumors of a gun that could kill demons, could this Colt be the same gun? She moves closer to the door so she can hear better.

"It's in the trunk. They dragged the car to a yard off of I-83. I already called Bobby. He's like an hour out, he's gonna tow the Impala back to his place."

"All right. You, you go meet up with Bobby. You get that Colt, and you bring it back to me. And you watch out for hospital security."

Sam nods and gets up to leave; John reaches out his hand and grabs Sam by the arm, he picks up a piece of paper and begins to write. "Here, I made a list of things I need, have Bobby pick them up for me."

Sam reads the paper and wrinkles his eye brows, "Acacia? Oil of Abramelin? What's this stuff for?"

"Protection."

"Protection my ass, that's used to summon a demon." Hope whispers to herself.

Before Sam leaves he turns to face his father, "Hey, Dad? You know, the demon, he said he had plans for me, and children like me. Do you have any idea what he meant by that?"

John grinds his teeth and clenched his jaw, "No, I don't."

Hope heard Sam walking towards the door and she quickly darted into the room across the hall. She peaked out the window and watched as Sam left, "Looks like I need to have a little chat with John."

Hope walked into Johns room and pulled the chair up to Johns bed with a screech, she plopped herself down and crossed her arms, "So…demons."

John's head snapped in her direction and he waited for her eyes to turn yellow.

Hope realized quickly how she had come across, "Wait, I am not a demon, I'm a hunter. Like you."

"What's a hunter doing working in a hospital?"

"A run of bad luck ok. Listen I saw something hovering over your son while he was dying, I also swear I saw him having an out of body experience."

"That's never good, it's a reaper."

"A what?"

"A reaper, they come for the dead, help you cross over to the other side type thing."

"So they're evil?"

"Not quite, you cant stop a reaper. Whoever they are gunnin for is who they get."

"Yeah well they are gunnin for Dean."

"Then there's nothing we can do." John says with regret.

"Are you kidding me, he is your son and your just gonna let him die?"

"Hey this is none of your god damn business!" John yells

Faith hears the racket from the hall and decides she should probably investigate, to her surprise it was her sister that John was yelling at. "What the hell is going on in here?"

"There's a reaper after Dean, and John, his father, is just going to let it take him!" Hope yells.

Faith's eyes grew big, she glances at John and then takes Hope by the arm, "Will you excuse us for just a moment please, my sister is a little disturbed." She says and drags her sister out of the room. "What the hell was that?!"

"Calm down-."

"Don't tell me to calm down Hope you just blurted out something you just don't blurt out to normal people!"

"Faith listen to me-."

"No, not this time, do you have any idea what you have done."

Hope puts her hand over Faith's mouth and pushes her up against the wall, "Will you just shut up for a minute?!" She lets go of Faith.

Faith stares at her sister in shock for a second, "Ok, I'd love to hear your explanation for this one."

"He's a hunter, Sam, Dean and John. They are all hunters, I overheard Sam and John talking about demons and the colt and trying to save Dean."

"Wait, the Colt? It's real?"

"I have no idea; my main concern is trying to save Dean from the reaper."

Hope gives Faith a quick summary of what reapers are and how John can seem less interested in saving him.

They walk back into John's room and sit down.

"First off, John you are right, it is none of our business on what is going on here. I know it's hard to trust people you don't know but trust me, we are good hunters. We have been on our own since I was 12 and she was 10. We know how to handle the monsters under the bed; we can help you fight this thing." Faith says

John shakes his head, "I have no doubt in your knowledge and skills, but I know what a reaper is, I know how they work and trust ME when I say this, he cannot be saved by anything except…."He pauses not sure if he should continue, "Just let me handle this ok."

Before either of them could say anything Sam stormed into the room, with Dean's manifestation behind him. He tries to talk to Sam, "Sammy! Tell me you can friggin' hear me, man, there's something in the hospital. Now, you've got to bring me back and we've got to hunt this thing." Dean looked around the room and noticed the two nurses who had been in the room with him when he was being attacked by that thing.

"You're quiet." John says to Sam.

Sam turns around fuming mad, and hurls the bag onto the bed with a crash. "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"I think we will just go for a walk." Hope says motioning at Faith to leave the room.

"No, stay." John says to them both. "What are you talking about Sam?"

Sam gives his dad a weird look, "I really don't think you want them in here for what I am about to say."

"Their hunters Sam just talk."

Sam looks down at the two sisters who looked extremely uncomfortable in this awkward situation. They both give him a crocked smile and Faith gave a little wave.

"Faith!" Hope says in a stern voice and grabs her hand.

"What?"

Sam turned his attention back to his dad, "That stuff from Bobby, you don't use it to ward off a demon, you use it to summon one. You're planning on bringing the demon here, aren't you? Having some stupid macho showdown?!"

"I have a plan, Sam."

"That's exactly my point! Dean is dying, and you have a plan! You know what; you care more about killing this demon than you do saving your own son!"

Dean tries to be heard, "No, no, no, guys, don't do this!"

"Do not tell me how I feel! I am doing this for Dean." John yells

"How? How is revenge going to help him? You're not thinking about anybody but yourself, it's the same selfish obsession!"

"Come on guys, don't do this!" Dean yells again.

Hope wrinkles her eye brows and looks at her sister, "can you hear that? I swear I can hear someone else."

"You know, it's funny, I thought it was your obsession too! This demon killed your mother, killed your girlfriend. You begged me to be part of this hunt. Now if you'd killed that damn thing when you had the chance, none of this would have happened."

"Oh no he didn't…" Faith accidently says allowed, luckily they were too caught up in the moment to notice.

"It was possessing you, Dad, I would have killed you too!"

"Yeah, and your brother would be awake right now."

"Shut up, both of you!" Dean's voice echoed in Hopes ears.

"Go to hell dad."

"I should have never taken you along in the first place. I knew it was a mistake, I knew I was wrong —."

Dean yells one last time, "I said SHUT UP!" he smacks a glass of water off the table and it goes flying and crashes onto the floor causing Hope and faith to jump. John and Sam give each other confused looks.

Dean smiles, "Dude, I full-on Swayze'd that mother." His smile quickly fades and he starts to hold his stomach in pain, nurses and doctors run by the hallway and Dean starts to flicker and disappears.

"That's our cue, come on Hope." They both get up and run towards the commotion. Sam takes one last look at his dad and follows the sisters into Dean's room.

The loud beeping of the monitors echo in Sam's head, he looks around the room and see's a doctor and some nurses, Faith and Hope included surrounding Dean, trying to resuscitate him.

The doctor yells, "All clear!" and shocks Dean.

With tears in his eyes Sam mumbles, "No."

"Damn it Still no pulse." Faith says

"Okay, let's go again, 360." The doctor yells out

Hope charges it up and they continue to shock Dean.

Sam begins to cry and runs his fingers through his hair.

Dean slowly walks in behind Sam; he sees the thing, the reaper floating above him. "You get the hell away from me." He runs to the bed and faces the thing down, yelling, "I said get back!"

Sam blinks and looks confused like he heard something, Hope heard it too.

Dean reaches for the thing and holds onto it for a moment before it hurls him into the hallway and floats away. The monitors calm down, "We have a pulse. We're back into sinus rhythm." Faith tells the room.

Sam sighs in relief and backs into the hallway; he decides to just watch from there. Dean comes to stand by his side

"Don't worry, Sammy. I'm not going anywhere. I'm getting that thing before it gets me. It's some kind of spirit, but I could grab it. And if I can grab it, I can kill it." Dean said with a grin.


	4. In my Time of Dying

**In my Time of dying**

Sam glances over to where Dean was standing; he gives the air a confused look. He swears he can feel his brother, like he was just standing next to him. Dean hears a woman yelling from another room and wanders in that direction.

Faith sees Sam standing outside in the hall, staring helplessly down the hallway. She walks over to him and puts her hand on his shoulder. "Look Sam, I know this is hard but we will find a way to save him."

"I need you to meet me in my dad's room, get your sister." Before Faith had a chance to say anything he was already walking away.

She put her hand over her forehead and took a deep breath, "Hope come on, lets go." She yelled into the room. Hope was leaning up against the wall with her arms crossed staring at Dean with a determined look. "I know I saw you, I know I heard you. I am not going crazy." She said to Dean. Faith walked in and stood on the other side of the bed.

"Hope, did you hear me?"

"Faith I know he's here, I could hear him."

"I don't doubt you, I really don't. Maybe this is something you need to tell John, come on, Sam wants us to meet him in his room. I am going to run down and grab the journals and I will meet ya there ok."

Hope nodded and her sister left the room. She moved closer to the bed and hesitated before she put her hand over Deans forehead. "I know you can hear me, so here it goes. I will save you, I promise. I don't know why I am so hell bent to, but just know that I will get you back to your family." She sighed and stepped away. She really didn't know why she HAD to save this man, she saw him as a brother and a son. She had to watch Sam suffer and she cant imagine having to go through that with her own sister. She didn't want to see them suffer the way her and her sister had when they lost their family to evil. She took one last look at Dean and headed for John's room.

"What do you mean, you felt something?" John asks Sam

"I mean it felt like, like Dean. Like he was there, just out of eyeshot or something. I don't know if it's my psychic thing or what, But do you think it's even possible? I mean, do you think his spirit could be around?"

"Anything's possible." John said just as Faith and Hope walked in the door.

"Well, there's one way to find out."

"Wait, find out what?" Faith asked.

"Sam swears he felt Dean, like Dean." John said.

"You can hear him too? I swear I heard him and I even swear I saw him standing in the doorway yelling at something when he was flat lining."

"Hey where are you going?" John asked Sam as he was heading for the door.

"I gotta pick something up, I'll be back."

"Wait, Sam." John hesitated for a moment and glanced at Hope and Faith, not sure if he should continue. He had a real hard time trusting people as it was. " I promise I won't hunt this demon. Not until we know Dean's okay."

Sam nodded and headed for the door, "I'll go with you." Faith said as she got up from the chair. "Hope can stay here with your dad and they can go through our journals and see if they cant come up with something."

Sam smiled down at her, "Thanks."

She nodded and they headed out the door.

"Nice car." Sam said as they got in.

"Thanks, it was my dad's car."

"Don't tell me you're just like my brother and this thing is your baby?"

She shot him a playful glare, "Hey, she needs lovin to." She said as she patted the dash with her hand. Her smile faded and she fidgeted with her keys that had a locket and the pink Ford Mustang logo dangling from the key. "It's the only thing we have left of our parents."

"I'm sorry, what happened to them?"

Faith put the key in the ignition and fired up the car with a roar, "You know, the job." She stared at the steering wheel for a moment before pushing in the clutch and putting it in first. "Alright, where too?"

"Somewhere I can buy a oujia board."

She gave him a strange look, "Oddly enough I know where you can find one of those." She pulled the car out and headed down the street.

Hope pressed down hard on her forehead, "There is nothing in here about how to take out a reaper." She slammed the pink leather bound book shut and pushed it away from her. She glanced up at John who was staring at the sheets. "Do you have anything to say? This silence is driving me crazy."

"There is no way to kill a reaper, it just cant be done."

"I know you said that already, but there is a way to kill everything."

"You don't understand, you cant kill death."

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

"I have a plan."

"Does it involve summoning that demon that's after you?"

"Please don't get yourself caught up in things you don't understand."

"I understand perfectly!" Hope yelled and stood up from her chair, "A demon killed your wife, well guess what, a demon killed my parents and my baby sister all in a matter of seconds and if my sister was laying on a hospital bed dying and I had the chance to kill that demon, I would save her first!" She took in a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry, I just don't understand how you can sit here and do nothing to save your son!"

"I am doing this for Dean!" John yelled out.

Hope turned around and looked at him confused.

"There is no way to kill a reaper, no way to stop it from taking Dean. Do you understand me?"

"What are you up to John?"

"There's nothing in here that says oujia board." Sam said as he skimmed the shelves.

"Hey I found something, 'Magical talking board' it's a knock off but it should work…I think." Faith pulled it out and handed it to Sam. He studied the cover and shrugged.

"Cant hurt to try it." Sam took it over to the counter and searched his coat for his wallet. "Crap."

"What?"

"I think I left my wallet in the hospital."

"Oh here, I have some cash." She reached in her pocket and handed him $10. Her coat moved back as she reached for him, revealing a small tattoo on the underside of her left wrist. Sam gently grabbed her hand and studied the tattoo.

"Is that a protection charm?" She nodded, "That's pretty clever ya know, getting it tattooed on you."

"Yeah, sure beats having to make sure you have one on ya all the time, now I know I will never be possessed." She winked at him.

He smiled and paid for the board. They quickly got back into the car and headed back to the hospital.

Sam and Faith quietly walked into Dean's room, it was dark now and the room had a dim glow from the nightlight that was built into the wall. "Hey. I think maybe you're around. And if you are, don't make fun of me for this, but um, well, there's one way we can talk." Sam said to the air. Faith walked in with him and leaned against the wall. Sam pulled out the box labeled "Mystical Talking Board".

Dean glanced over Sam's shoulder and read the title of the board, "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

Sam circled around the bed and sat cross legged on the floor. He opened the box and pulled out the board. "Dean? Dean, are you here?"

"God, I feel like I'm at a slumber party." Dean says and sits opposite of Sam in front of the board. "All right, Sam. This isn't going to work."

Sam puts his hands on the pointer and Dean places his on it as well. He concentrates hard and slowly slides it to "Yes" Sam lets out a gasp and looks excitedly to Faith who is now hovering over Sam in surprise.

"I'll be damned." Dean whispers.

Sam lets out a little laugh in relief and Faith sits down next to him, her hand on his shoulder. "It's good to hear from you, man. It hasn't been the same without you, Dean."

Dean looks up at Sam and back at the board he concentrates and attempts to move the pointer again. It slowly creeps over the H then the U.

"Dean, what? H? U? Hunt? Hunting? What? Are you hunting?" Dean moves the pointer slides back to "YES."

"It's in the hospital, what you're hunting? Do, do you know what it is?"

"One question at a time, dude." Dean says and tried to move the pointer again.

It creeps under Sam's fingers, "What is it?" Dean moves the pointer, it slides again moving over the following, R, E, A, P.

"I don't think it's killing people. I think it's taking them. You know, when their time's just up." Dean says

"A reaper. Dean we know, its after you too, can you feel it?" Dean moves the pointer to "Yes." "If it's here naturally, there's no way to stop it."

"Yeah, you can't kill death." Dean says.

"Man, you're, um," Sam chokes up and holds back tears.

"I'm screwed, Sam."

Sam looks up a Faith who has regret and sorrow in her eyes. "No. No, no, no, um, there's gotta be a way." He stands up and starts pacing back and forth. "There's gotta be a way. Dad'll know what to do." Sam leaves the room and Faith is left standing alone, she studies the board and sits down. "Here goes nothing." She puts her fingers on the pointer, "Dean can you hear me?" She waits for a moment and the pointer moves to "Yes." She takes in a breath "Ok I need you to listen to me. By now I am sure you have had an encounter with some human form pretending to be what you are, its not, it's the reaper. Its trying to get you to accept the fact that your going to die. Have you seen it?"

"How the hell do you know so much about this?" Dean asks himself and moves the pointer to "Yes."

"Alright, I am going to be honest. You don't have much time, I need a straight answer, what is the demons name that is after you?"

Dean paused for a moment not sure if he should tell her. After all for all he knows shes working for him. He studied her face, she looked aged, not physically, but mentally. Her hands were scarred and her fingernails clearly had been bitten off over the years. She had the look of someone who had lived the same life as he. Still, he had a hard time trusting people and he just wasn't going to go there, not right now at least. He moved the pointer to "No." She sighed, "I understand, you don't trust me. If I was on the other side and you were here, I wouldn't trust you either. Either way Dean, hang on for as long as you can. There has got to be away to save you." She got up and headed for John's room.

Faith was about to walk around the corner that lead to the hall that John's room was on when Sam came around the corner and smacked right into her, she grabbed his elbows to stable herself. "I thought you were going to John's."

"I did he wasn't there, I'm going back to Deans room."

"Want me to go with you?"

"No, I should be fine, maybe you and your sister can come up with something, cause I sure as hell cant." Faith nodded and Sam walked around her.

"Hey Sam," she yelled out to him. He stopped and turned around, "What if we cant save your brother?"

Sam briskly walked back to her and got all up in her personal space, and Faith took a step back. "Don't you say that, we will save him." Sam choked up.

Faith put her hand on his shoulder and he jerked away from her, she did it again, "Sam,"

"I know, I'm sorry, its just, he's my brother. There has to be a way to save him." He brushed her hand off his shoulder and headed for Dean's room.

Sam walks into Deans room, gripping the journal in his hands, he sits down on Deans bed "Hey. So Dad wasn't in his room."

"Where is he?" Dean asked, knowing Sam cant hear him. "So whats with these sisters that are running around. How much do you really know about them Sammy?"

"But I got Dad's journal, so who knows? Maybe there's something here." Sam flips open the journal and leafs through it, He glances up at Dean's unconscious form occasionally. Dean walks over to Sam and cross's his arms.

"Thanks for not giving up on me, Sammy."

Sam keeps searching through the journal and turns to a page that says "Reapers", Dean leans over and reads something. His eyes go wide.

"Son of a bitch. That nurse was right." Dean leaves the room and goes to find Tessa, the form he had encountered earlier, someone he thought was a dying soul caught in the middle. He walks into an empty room and sees Tessa or the reaper sitting on the bed, shes dressed differently than she was before.

"Hi, Dean." Her gentle voice carries across the room.

"You know, you read the most interesting things. For example, did you know that reapers can alter human perception? I sure didn't. Basically they can make themselves appear however they want. Like, say, a pretty girl. You're much prettier than the last reaper I met." Dean says to her.

"I was wondering when you would figure it out. I thought perhaps after that nurse you 'talked' to you, you would have gotten some sort of idea that it was me."

"I should have known. That whole "accepting fate" rap of yours is far too laid back for a dead chick. But the mother, and the body, I'm still trying to figure that one out.

"It's my sandbox, I can make you see whatever I want."

"What, is this like a turn-on for you? Toying with me?" Dean walks over and sits down on the bed next to her, they continue to talk about life and death. How he shouldn't fear it and eventually it comes for everyone.

"I cant die, I cant leave my brother alone to fight this war."

She reaches up and touches his cheek. "It's your time to go, Dean. And you're living on borrowed time already."

He looks at her, sadness fills his eyes.

"Hey Faith I need to go down to the basement, I think my coat may have gotten thrown in with the laundry." Hope yells over to her sister. They were sitting in the on call room studying up on everything related to a reaper, they were having zero luck.

"Yeah ok, just hurry back. If I'm not here then I went to Dean's room."

Hope nodded and headed for the basement. It didn't take her long before she made it down there, "This place creeps me out." She whispered to herself as she quickly made her way to the laundry room. She was just about to open the door when she heard voices, She crept closer so she was in ear shot.

"Hey. How stupid do you think I am?" Hope hears John's voice and the cocking sound of a pistol.

"You really want an honest answer to that?" A mans voice says. Hope wrinkles her eyebrows as she hears the stranger speak, his voice is unknown but his tone is all to familiar. She moves closer to get a better look. She see's to men in lab coats walk behind John, their eyes are blacker then the night sky.

"Oh crap." Hope says.

"You conjuring me, John. I'm surprised. I took you for a lot f things. But suicidally reckless wasn't one of them." The stranger, or the demon said to John.

"I could always shoot you."

"You could always miss." The demon laughs, "And you've only got one try, don't'cha? Did you really think you could trap me?

"Oh, I don't want to trap you." John lowers the colt, "I want to make a deal."

The demon smiles and steps closer to John, John takes a step back, revealing the demon to Hope. She gasps as she sees his yellow eyes glowing in the dim light.

The yellow eyed demon looks around and motions for one of his Hench men to take a look around. Hope quickly and quietly runs back up stairs.

Sam is standing by the window, he takes in a deep breath, "Dean, are you here?" He looks around hoping for some sort of sign.

Faith leans her head back against the wall and shuts the book, she heads for Dean's room.

"I couldn't find anything in the book. I don't know how to help you. But I'll keep trying, all right? As long as you keep fighting. I mean, come on you can't, you can't leave me here alone with dad, we'll kill each other, you know that." He pauses, "Dean, you've got to hold on. You can't go, man, not now. We were just starting to be brothers again. Can you hear me?" He turns around, tears in his eyes, to find Faith staring at him in the doorway. He looks at her with pleading eyes, hoping she has found something, anything.

"Sam, I'm sorry."

Sam sits down next to Dean's bed and the tears start to flow, the reality of it all hits him hard and he is finally starting to come to terms with the fact that his brother is going to die and he will be left alone. He starts to say something when Dean gasps, he wakes suddenly and begins choking on the tube in his throat.

Faith looks at Dean wide eyed and runs over to him, She takes the tube out of his throat and sits him up slapping him on the back. Dean coughs a few more times and takes in a deep breath. "Sammy." He manages to choke out. Sam looks at Faith smiling, she looks back at him confused.

"I'm going to go and get the doc, He will want to check you out."

After Faith gave the doctor an update Hope came running up to her out of breath, "Where have you been?" She puts her hands on her knees and huffs and puffs for air.

"Better question, what the hell happened to you?"

"He's here Faith, the yellow eyed demon, he's the same demon who the Winchesters are hunting. I saw him in the basement, John summoned him and wanted to make a deal."

"Oh no."

"Yeah oh no."

"No you don't understand, Dean's awake."

"But that's a good thing right?"

"You said John wanted to make a deal, deals hardly ever work out for the person making them. Come on we need to find John."

"lets start with Dean's room." Hope said and they headed that way.

"I can't explain it. The edema's vanished. The internal contusions are healed. Your vitals are good. You have some kind of angel watching over you." The doctor told Dean

Dean nodded and the doc left the room, "So you said a Reaper was after me?" Sam nodded "How'd I ditch it?"

"You got me. Dean, you really don't remember anything?"

"No. Except this pit in my stomach. Sam, something's wrong."

John knocks on the door and walks in, "How you feeling, dude?"

"Fine, I guess. I'm alive."

"That's what matters."

Hope and Faith were about to walk into the room but stop when they hear an angry Sam, "Where were you last night?"

"I had some things to take care of."

"Well, that's specific."

"Come on, Sam." Dean pleads to his brother.

"Did you go after the demon?" Sam asks

"No."

"You know, why don't I believe you right now?" He raises his voice.

John looks at Sam with pleading eyes, "Can we not fight? You know, half the time we're fighting, I don't know what we're fighting about. We're just butting heads. Sammy, I've made some mistakes. But I've always done the best I could. I just don't want to fight anymore, okay?"

Sam looks at John confused, "Dad, are you all right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm just a little tired. Hey, son, would you, uh, would you mind getting me a cup of caffeine?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sure."

Faith and Hope hide behind a door as Sam leaves. John looks sadly after him. Once Sam is out of sight the sisters move closer so they can hear, Faith peaks around the corner.

Dean looks worried at his dad, "What is it?"

"You know, when you were a kid, I'd come home from a hunt, and after what I'd seen, I'd be, I'd be wrecked. And you, you'd come up to me and you, you'd put your hand on my shoulder and you'd look me in the eye and You'd say "It's okay, Dad" He pauses, "Dean I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to say that to me, I should have been saying that to you. You know, I put too much on your shoulders, I made you grow up too fast. You took care of Sammy, you took care of me. You did that, and you didn't complain, not once. I just want you to know that I am so proud of you."

Dean looks confused "This really you talking?" John nods, "Why are you saying this stuff?"

John walks closer and puts his hand on Deans shoulder, "I want you to watch out for Sammy, okay."

"Yeah, dad, you know I will. You're scaring me."

"Don't be scared, Dean."

John leans over and whispers something into Dean's ear. Faith studies Dean's face as he pulls back in shock, trying to process what he just heard. John Heads for the door and Dean just stares after him. "Shit," Faith says and pushes her sister into the supply closet.

"Ok I think he's gone, we need to go and talk with John now!" Faith tells Hope and they head that way.

Sam walks back to the room carrying a cup of coffee. He glances into a room and see's John laying on the floor, "Dad?!" Sam drops the cup and run's over to John's side, he kneels over him and yells for help.

Faith and Hope hear Sam's pleas for help and they rush to his side, they roll John on his back and check for a pulse. More nurses and doctors flood the room in an attempt to bring John back. They throw him on a bed and Faith keeps compressions going. Dean comes through the doorway to stand by Sam and a nurse is trying to push them out of the room. Dean gets angry and yells, "No, no, it's our dad. It's our dad!" He looks at his dad "Come on." He whispers.

"Okay, stop compressions." The doctor tells Faith.

"No, no we can still bring him back." She keeps going.

Hope looks at Sam and Dean, "Still no pulse."

"Okay, that's it everybody." The doctor tells the room.

Faith ignores him and keeps compressions going. He gently grabs her hands, forcing her to stop. She glances up at him, "Call it." He tells her.

"Time of death: 10:41 am." Her voice echoes in Deans ears.


	5. Everybody loves a Clown

Everybody loves a Clown

The hot blaze rose from the funeral pyre, it was John's. The dim light reflected off of all their faces as they stood and watched the flames burn. Dean and Sam were standing behind it, hands in their pockets, Faith between the boys and Hope standing next to Dean, their arms crossed. Dean stares into the flames silently.

Sam fidgets for a moment, "Before he.. before, did he say anything to you? About anything?" Sam fights through the tears.

Dean keeps steady, staring, not looking at his brother, "No. Nothing."

Faith glances up at Dean and gives him an odd look, she knows their dad did in fact tell him something. The body continues to burn and all is silent now.

"Well I guess this is good bye?" Sam asks as they all walk over to the renta-car Sam and Dean are having to drive, meanwhile the Impala is back at Bobby's.

"Yeah we have to hit the road, heard of some parents being murdered in Medford, Wisconsin." Faith replies.

"Really, well maybe we should go with you guys, I mean four is better than two right?" Sam says with a smile as he glances at Dean. Hope smiles as well, hoping her sister will agree.

"Thanks but no thanks, we prefer to work alone." Faith says.

"Took the words right outta my mouth." Dean said.

Faith turned and headed for the car but Hope didn't follow. "Are ya comin?" She yelled back.

"Yeah, just a sec." She whipped out a pen and paper and wrote down something and gave it to Sam. It was their cell phone numbers, "Just in case you guys need a little help down the road."

"Thanks." Sam said with a grin.

Dean got in the car and slammed the door, "Lets go Sam!" He yelled out the window. Sam grabbed Hopes hand and quickly wrote down their numbers as well.

"Ya know, just in case." Sam said. Hope smiled and ran over to the Ford.

She got in and they drove away, the boys in their review mirror. "Really Hope?"

"What? You never know when we might need a little help." She smiled.

"Help is the last thing we need, especially from two egotistic hunters who go in to situations halfcocked. We are better off without them."

"How do you know that's how they hunt, and whats up your ass anyways?"

Faith shook her head, "Sorry, its just this whole thing. The yellow eyed demon surfaces, these two lose their dad and now Dean is lying to his brother."

"What do you mean?"

"John did tell him something before he died, I seen him whisper it in his ear, I just couldn't hear what it was."

"Well why do you think he lied?"

"I don't know, its not really any of our concern."

ONE WEEK LATER

"This place gives me the creeps." Hope said as they walked around the carnival.

"It's a fair, whats so creepy about it?" Faith asked just as she spied the food booth.

"Its crawling with clowns, I hate clowns."

"Your such a girl, come on let's get something to eat." They walked over to the little booth and Faith ordered a caramel apple a cheese burger and a coke.

"It's a mystery how you stay so skinny." Hope told her.

"Hey you only live once and chances are we are not going to get to live that long, so might as well enjoy life while ya can."

Hope rolled her eyes at her sister and ordered a water and an apple without caramel since they didn't have any salads.

"You are such a freak." Faith told her sister as she grabbed her goodies off the counter. They sat down and began to eat.

"So whats the story here anyways?" Faith asked through bites of her burger.

"Appears to be parents murdered, rip to shreds, and their kid is always with them."

"Well this is making a whole lotta sense.

A squeaky minivan pulls up outside the carnival. Sam and Dean roll down the windows and take a look around, they see what appears to be detectives talking to some carnies.

"This is humiliating. I feel like a friggin' soccer mom!" Dean tells Sam as the minivan slams into park.

"It's the only car Bobby had running."

Dean grunts and they both get out and head over to the carnival, Dean makes his way to the detectives and Sam stands back with his hands in his pockets. A three-foot-tall woman in a clown outfit passes him. He stares at her, nervous, and she stares back before moving on.

Dean walks up next to him, "Did you get her number?"

Sam scowls at his brother, "More murders huh."

"Two more last night. Apparently they were ripped to shreds. And they had a little boy with them. Each family went to the carnival before it all happened."

"So what are we looking at here, clowns?"

"You've gotta be kidding me. A killer clown?" Dean said

"Yeah. He left the daughter unharmed and killed the parents. Ripped them to pieces, actually." Sam said as he took out a newspaper clipping from his jacket pocket.

"And this family was at some carnival that night?"

"Right, right. The, uh, Cooper Carnivals." Sam said as he pointed to the newspaper clipping and then the big banner hanging above the entrance way to the carnival.

"So how do you know we're not dealing with some psycho carnie in a clown suit?" Dean said as he crossed his arms.

"Well, the cops have no viable leads, and all the employees were tearing down shop. Alibis all around. Plus this girl said she saw a clown vanish into thin air. Cops are saying trauma, of course."

Dean smiled and tried to keep from laughing, "Well, I know what you're thinking, Sam. Why did it have to be clowns?"

"Oh, give me a break."

Dean starts laughing now, "You didn't think I'd remember, did you? I mean, come on, you still bust out crying whenever you see Ronald McDonald on the television.

"Well, at least I'm not afraid of flying." Sam said

"Planes crash Sam!" Dean said in defense for himself.

"And apparently clowns kill!" Sam said as a matter of factly.

"So these types of murders, they ever happen before?" Dean asked, but before Sam could answer someone else did.

"Yeah back in 1981, the Bunker Brothers Circus, same M.O. It happened three times, three different locations." Hope said as her and faith approached the boys.

"I thought we told you we didn't need any help." Faith said with a scowl.

"Well we're not here to help you, we came cause we got wind of the murders going on." Dean said.

"Right, after I told you where we would be in Wisconsin." Faith said getting a little pissed.

"Ok look, honestly we didn't know you guys would be here. Bobby told us about these murders so we thought we'd check it out. We are both here, and by the looks of things your just as bull headed as Dean." Sam said pointing to Faith, "So I am pretty sure neither one of you is going to leave, so whether you like it or not, we are working together." Sam took a breath.

Dean and Faith gave Sam a weird look, "No reason to have a bitch fit there buddy." Faith told Sam and Dean laughed while Hope elbowed her sister.

"Alright fine, back to the job. Does anyone else think it's weird, I'm mean if it is a spirit it's usually bound to a specific locale, you know, a house, or a town."

"So how's this one moving from city to city, carnival to carnival?" Hope said.

"Cursed object, maybe. Spirit attaches itself to something and the, uh, carnival carries it around with them." Dean said.

"Great. Paranormal scavenger hunt." Faith said.

"Well at least we know it resembles a clown." Sam said.

"Yeah, a clown, who apparently vanished into thin air." Dean replied.

"Dean, you know, looking for a cursed object is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. They could be anything." Hope said.

"Well, it's bound to give off EMF, so we'll just have to scan everything."

"Oh, good, that's nice and... inconspicuous." Hope replied.

Dean looks around and sees a "Help wanted... S. Cooper" sign. "I guess we'll just have to blend in."

They follow Deans gaze and Faith sighs, "Oh great, a carnie, what I always wanted to be."

They walk in the tent and a man is throwing knives at a target, all of them land near the bulls eye but not quite on it.

"Excuse me, we're looking for a Mr. Cooper, have you seen him around?" Dean asked.

"What is that, some kind of joke?" The man says as he turns around and takes off his glasses, he's blind.

"Oh. God, I'm, I'm sorry." Dean said.

"You think I wouldn't give my eyeteeth to see Mr. Cooper? Or a sunset, or anything at all?" The blind man asks Dean.

Dean leans closer to Faith and quietly whispers to her, she gives him an odd look and leans away, "Wanna give me a little help here?"

She grinned, "Not really."

"Hey man, is there a problem?" A voice came from behind.

They all turn around to see a short man in a red cape and top hat.

"Yeah, this guy hates blind people." The blind man says.

"No, I don't, I..." Dean looks to the others for help but they just let him keep digging the hole.

"Hey buddy, what's your problem?" The short man asks.

"Nothing, it's just a little misunderstanding."

"Little?! You son of a bitch!"

Dean's eyes widen, "No, no, no, no! I'm just, could somebody tell me where Mr. Cooper is?" Faith and Sam laugh, Hope just rolls her eyes, "Please?"

"Thanks for the help back there, bunch of ass's." Dean says to Sam, Faith, and Hope.

"I thought you were doing just fine on your own," Faith said as she opened the door to Mr. Coopers office. They all followed her in.

There were five seats in the room, two are normal, one is behind the mans desk and the other two are pink, with giant clown faces on them. Faith and Dean are the first to walk in and they quickly grin and take the two normal seats. Hope and Sam walk in behind them, Hope glares at her sister when she realizes she has to sit down on a clown face. Sam scowls and fidgets before sitting gingerly down. Hope and Sam exchange looks.

"You four picked a hell of a time to join up, We've got all kinds of local trouble." Mr. Cooper said as he kicked his feet up on the desk."

"What do you mean?" Asked Hope

"Oh, a couple of folks got themselves murdered. Cops always seem to start here first. So, you four ever worked the circuit before?"

"Yes sir, last year through Texas and Arkansas." Faith pulled out of her ass.

"Doing what? Ride jockies? Butcher?" Asked Mr. Cooper.

"Yeah, it's, uh, little bit of everything, I guess." Faith replied.

"You've never worked a show in your lives before, have you?

"Nope. But we really need the work. Oh, and uh, Sam here's got a thing for the bearded lady." Dean said with a grin.

"You see that picture? That's my daddy." Mr. cooper said pointing to a huge poster on the back wall.

"You look just like him." Sam said.

"He was in the business. Ran a freak show. Till they outlawed them, most places. Apparently displaying the deformed isn't dignified. So most of the performers went from honest work to rotting in hospitals and asylums. That's progress, I guess. You see, this place, it's a refuge for outcasts. Always has been. For folks that don't fit in nowhere else. But you two?" He pointed to the boys "You should go to school, take these pretty ladies out on a date, Have two point five kids. Live regular."

Dean opens his mouth and is about to say something, but Sam leans forward, eyes serious, "Sir? We don't want to go to school. And we don't want regular. We want this." Dean, Faith, and Hope give Sam a weird look.

Sam and Hope are wearing a red "COOPER CARNIVAL" jacket and picking up trash. Hope poked a piece of hamburger that was half wrapped up, she wrinkled her nose at it and shoved it in her bag. "It's like picking up after my sister," she thought to herself.

Sam's voice creeped over her shoulders and she felt like he was invading her bubble, She tunred around and he in fact was a little too close for comfort, "Can I help you?" She asked him.

"So what's the deal with your sister?" Sam asked as if his curiosity for Faith wasn't obvious enough.

"What do you mean?" Hope said looking puzzled

"Well I'm no shrink and we've only just met, but what's with the whole tough guy act? It's just like Dean, and knowing Dean as well as I do, there is something more going on below the surface."

"Yeah, I mean we've had a rough past. Faith is guarded, that's all."

"You don't seem to be the same as your sister." He paused and studied the ground, "Actually your kinda like me."

"Then my sister will think your soft, she thinks I'm soft." She said with a grin, her smiled faded a little, "I have my walls up like anyone else, but Faith has always looked out for me, so I never had to be as cautious as she did. She protected me from things, which sometimes meant keeping me in the dark."

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Sam fidgeted a little not really sure if it was the right time to ask his next question. "So…is your sister…seeing anyone…?" He tried to sound smooth

"Sam, come on. We're hunters, when do we ever have time for anything more than a quick lay?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, I guess that's true."

"Plus to be honest with you, don't waste your time with her. I mean I love my sister to death, but she's just not relationship material. Like you said, she's like Dean and I'm pretty sure he's the type of guy to leave a girl at two in the morning in some cheap hotel room."

Sam laughed, "Yeah you hit the nail on the head with that one."

"Think of Faith like the female version of Dean, trust me, if she takes you home, you will wake up alone in some cheap hotel room."

Sam grinned and took out his EMF reader and surreptitiously started scanning everything he could. He walked slowly into the fun house and a skeleton falls from the ceiling; Sam scans it, not getting a reading. He has a puzzled look on his face.

"Get anything?" Hope asked as she peaked in the door.

Sam turned around to face her, "No, but I have an idea."

Wearing a similar uniform jacket, Dean and Faith are putting trash into a dumpster. Faith leans down to pick up some trash and Dean takes a second look, obviously staring at her ass. "So how did you two get roped into this gig?" Dean asked still eyeing Faith.

She stood up and walked over to Dean, throwing the trash in the bin, "Started finding things out when I was twelve, Hope was ten. Our parents and baby sister were killed by a demon." Faith replied as if her past happened to everyone. She thought about telling him it was the same demon that killed his dad but she didn't quite trust them yet.

"Oh. Tough break huh."

"It was a long time ago. I was just a kid. Sorry about your dad by the way…We did all we could…"

Dean grinded his teeth as Faith spoke of his dad, "It was bound to happen eventually." Before Faith could reply to that Dean continued, "So. If we get some hours to waste. Maybe tonight we should, uh…" Dean looks up at Faith. "No, you know what? Never mind."

"What?" Faith looked at him with a smirk on her face.

"Nothing, just, uh, wrong place, wrong time."

"You know, I thought you were gonna toss me some cheap pickup line." Faith scoffed as Dean chuckled, embarrassed. "Most hunters think they can get in my pants with some... pizza, a six pack, and side one of Zeppelin IV."

"Well…What a bunch of scumbags."

"Not you."

"I guess not."

She grinned, "You know to be honest, I wouldn't mind taking you to some cheap hotel room and taking advantage of you."

He looked at her surprised.

"Oh come one Dean, not all the women you meet fall for those eyes, that nice ass, and," She walked closer to him, putting one hand around his neck and the other up his shirt. She felt his abs and gave him a promiscuous look. "And that tight bod you got there." She whispered in his ear, She pulled away from him, her lips close to his. Dean leaned in closer to her and she pulled away from him and started laughing, "I can't believe you fell for that!" She laughed one more time as her phone rang. She flipped open her phone and answered it with a giggle.

Dean stood there for a moment a little dumbfounded, he had a worried look on his face "I feel violated." He said a little upset, but humorous at what just happened.

"Hey Hope what's up?"

"Hey it's Sam actually, Listen, I was thinking. What if the spirit isn't attached to a cursed object, what if it's attached to its own remains?"

"Wait slow down, let me put ya on speaker, where did you get this idea anyways?"

"I saw a skeleton."

"A real one?" Dean asked

"No in the funhouse but its possible right?" Sam asked.

"Well did the bones give off EMF?" Dean asked.

"Well, no, but..."

"We should check it out anyway. We're heading to you." Faith said.


	6. The Rakshasa

**The Rakshasa**

As Faith hangs up the phone, the Blind man grabs Dean's arm and the short man grabs a hold of Faith's waist. Reflexes telling her to kick him off.

"What are you doing here, kid?" The Blind Man said gripping tighter.

"I'm... I was just sweeping." Dean decides to play dumb.

"Bull! And what were you talking about? Skeletons? What's EMF?" He questions.

"Dude, your blind man hearing is out of control." Dean scoffs as Faith elbows him and shoots him a mean look.

"We're a tight-knit group, we don't like outsiders, we take care of our own problems."

"We got a problem?" Asks Faith

"You tell me lady; you're the ones talking about human bones." He turns in her direction.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" She asks the Blind Man, shaking the midget off her.

"What?" Both men seemed surprised by her question.

"My companions and I…we're writing a book about them."

After having gotten away from the blind guy and the midget, Dean and Faith scan the crowd. They find Sam & Hope by the brightly lit Ferris wheel. "What took you so long" Hope asked eyeing her sister.

"Long story" They said in unison, looking at each other smirking.

Dean turns his attention to Hope, "Your sister molested me by the way."

Faith grins at Dean, "Well to be honest that doesn't surprise me." Hope said giving her sister a playful glare.

All of a sudden they hear a little girl in line talking to her mother. "Mommy, look at the clown!" All eyes snap to where the little girl is pointing.

"What clown?" Her mother replies. Looking where her daughter is pointing; there is nothing. "Come on sweetie, let's go."

They all look at each other as if a giant light bulb came on suddenly. It is agreed that Faith & Hope will stake out the little girl's home, while Sam & Dean wait for the clown on the inside. Sitting in the Ford, watching the minivan for the boy's move, Hope confronts her sister. "Faith, I cannot believe you told Papazian about the homicidal phantom clown."

"I told him an urban legend about a homicidal phantom clown, I never said it was real." Faith defends her self, pulling her gun out cocking it. Hope grabs at it pushing Faith's hands down.

"Keep that down! Are you crazy?"

"Oh, and get this. I mentioned the Bunker Brother's Circus in '81 and their, uh, evil clown apocalypse? Guess what."

"What?"

"Before Mr. Cooper owned Cooper Carnival, he worked for Bunker Brothers. He was their lot manager."

"So you think whatever the spirit's attached to, Cooper just brought it with him?"

"Something like that. I can't believe we keep talking about clowns."

As quickly as there conversation started, it ended. The girls hearing gun shots bolt out of the car, running across the street. Sam and Dean are running towards them from the side of the house, "Let's get the hell out of here!" Dean shouts as he passes the girls. Faith revs the engine to life and follows the minivan.

Dean and Sam park the minivan off the side of some backwoods road and are digging out their belongings-including the license plates.

"You really think they saw our plates?" Sam questions his brother.

"I don't want to take the chances. Besides, I hate this friggin' thing anyway." Dean said kicking the bumper of the worn out car. They start walking down the road, headlights coming up behind them a Ford Mustang pulled into sight. Hope stuck her head out the window "Need a ride boys?" She smiled at them locking eyes with Dean. They climbed into the backseat, Sam squished in like a sardine.

"Well, one thing's for sure." Dean started.

"What's that?" Faith said looking in the rearview mirror at the two.

"We're not dealing with a spirit. I mean, that rock salt hit something solid."

"Yeah, a person? Or maybe a creature that can make itself invisible?" Sam said

"Yeah, and dresses up as a clown for kicks? You see anything in Dad's journal" Dean said.

"Nope" Sam said

"Maybe you could take a look at ours" Hope said handing their pink leather bound notebook and their parents'.

"I actually have an idea." Sam says as he flips open his phone.

"Who are you calling?" Asked Dean.

"Maybe Ellen or that guy Ash will know something. Hey, you think, uh, you think Dad and Ellen ever had a thing?"

"Wait, whos Ellen and Ash?" Hope asked as she turned around in her seat to face the boys.

"Just some people our dad knew, and no way Sam."

"Then why didn't he tell us about her?"

"I don't know, maybe they had some sort of falling out." Dean said.

"Yeah. You ever notice Dad had a falling out with just about everybody?" Dean nods casually and Sam lowers the phone, "Well, don't get all maudlin on me, man."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh great." Faith says to herself, knowing exactly what's going to happen, her and her sister had fights like these a lot.

"I mean this "strong silent" thing of yours, it's crap."

"Oh, god." Dean said.

"I'm over it. This isn't just anyone we're talking about, this is Dad. I know how you felt about the man."

"Um, should we pull over and give you two some privacy?" Hope asked, looking at Faith.

Ignoring her question Dean continues, "You know what, back off, all right? Just because I'm not caring and sharing like you want me to."

"No, that's not what this is about, Dean. I don't care how you deal with this. But you have to deal with it, man. Listen, I'm your brother, all right? I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Dude, I'm okay. I'm okay, okay? I swear, the next person who asks me if I'm okay, I'm going to start throwing punches. These are your issues, quit dumping them on me!"

Faith was about to open her mouth and pull some smart ass remark about if Dean was okay or not but Hope grabbed her arm and seriously shook her head. 'Your no fun' Faith mouthed to her sister.

"What are you talking about Dean?"

Faith causally pulls over and kills the engine, Hope nods at her and they both open the doors and attempt to get out.

"You two just stay right there!" Dean yells at the girls and they shut their doors and slouch like a kid who got told no. He turns his attention back to Sam, "I just think it's really interesting, this sudden obedience you have to Dad. It's like, oh, what would Dad want me to do? Sam, you spent your entire life slugging it out with that man. I mean, hell, you, you picked a fight with him the last time you ever saw him. And now that he's dead, now you want to make it right? Well, I'm sorry Sam, but you can't, it's too little, too late." Dean takes a breath and the sisters look at each other, both feeling sorry for Sam.

"Why are you saying this to me?"

"Because I want you to be honest with yourself about this. I'm dealing with Dad's death! Are you?"

Sam ignores the question and flips open his phone, "I'm going to call Ellen."

Faith puts the car in drive and heads for their hotel.

Faith threw the takeout pizza on the table and flipped the lid open; her sister gave her a serious look and then glanced at Dean who was sitting on the bed, his elbows on his knees. "What?" Faith asked her sister.

"Go and talk to him, he is obviously struggling with the death of his dad, he doesn't know how to deal." Hope said as she walked closer to her sister.

Faith took a bite of the cheese pizza and glanced over at Dean and rolled her eyes, through bites and chewing of pizza she said, "You go talk to him, you're the one who likes to get all in touch with your emotions."

Hope gave Faith the look of death and Faith swallowed her pizza and took a big drink of her beer, "Fine." She walked over and sat down next to Dean, no idea of what she was going to say, "So, um…"

He glared up at her and she patted him on the back, "Ok, good talk." She got up and sat down at the little table the pizza was on, "I gave it my best effort, its your turn." She said to her sister.

Hope took in a deep breath and walked over and sat down next to Dean, "Hey look, I know how you feel about your dad."

"Don't tell me you know how I feel, you know what don't even talk to me about my dad alright."

Hope grinded her teeth, determined to talk to him. "Dean you have to deal with it otherwise it is just going to fester and make life hell…at least more so than what our lives already are."

"You know what why do you care so much huh? God, your just like my panzy of a brother."

"He cares about you Dean, and its about time you got your head out of your ass and realized that! Cant you see he's worried about you. God, your just like my hard headed, tough guy of a sister!" Hope yelled

"Hey!" Faith said, "I'm not that bad." She whispered.

"Yeah well its better to have a hard shell and keep everyone out then it is to let people in. Not only do I take the chance, I also take a chance on their life." Dean scowled at Hope.

Faith turned around in her seat and faced the two, "Since when did this conversation turn from your dad to relationships?"

"Look, honestly, thanks for trying to make me feel better. But just let me deal with this in my own way and alone alright."

"Fine." Hope said getting up and grabbing a pizza. Dean glanced up at her and studied her soft face. She was honest and she really did mean to help, he felt a little bad for getting so angry with her, but honestly was it any of her business how he dealt with the death of his dad, and why did she care so much?

Sam walks in the door just as he is hanging up the phone, "Thanks." He looks to the others, "Rakshasa."

"What the hell is a Rakshasta?" Faith asks.

Sam laughed as Faith mispronounced the word, "A Rakshasa. Its Ellen's best guess. It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures, they appear in human form, they feed on human flesh, they can make themselves invisible, and they cannot enter a home without first being invited."

"So like a vampire?" Hope said.

Dean gave her a weird look, "Vampires don't need to be invited into your home."

"They do if their Alexander Skarsgard." She bit her lower lip thinking about Eric from True Blood. "That man can come into my house any day."

Faith grinned, "Yes he can."

"Who the hell is Alexander…whatever?" Dean asked.

"Don't you watch True Blood?" Hope asked Dean.

"He's more of a Dr. Sexy M.D. kinda guy." Sam replied and the girls laughed.

"Ok, back to the real problem here, so these things, they dress up like clowns, and the children invite them in." Dean said and Sam nodded.

"Why don't they just munch on the kids?" Hope asked curiously.

"No idea. Not enough meat on the bones, maybe?" Sam said

"What else'd you find out?" Faith asked

"Well, apparently, Rakshasas live in squalor. They sleep on a bed of dead insects." Sam said.

"Ew." Faith and Hope said together.

"Agreed." Dean said.

"Yeah gross, and they have to feed a few times every twenty or thirty years. Slow metabolism, I guess."

"Well, that makes sense. I mean, the Carnival today, the Bunker Brothers' in '81" Hope said. She sat there for a moment thinking, "Hey, who do we know that worked both shows?"

"Cooper?" Faith asked.

"Yup, Cooper. What an ass." Dean said.

"You know, that picture of his father, that looked just like him." Sam chimed in. "Could have been him instead."

"Good point, your friend Ellen, she say how to kill it?" Hope asked.

"Legend goes, a dagger made of pure brass." Sam said.

"I think I know where to get one of those." Dean said.

"Well, before we go stabbing things into Cooper, we're going to want to make damn sure it's him." Sam said and Hope agreed.

"Oh, you're such a stickler for details, Sammy. All right, I'll round up the blade, you go check if Cooper's got bedbugs. Hope you comin with me?" Dean stood up and looked down at her.

"Yeah sounds good, But I am not driving around in that minivan." She reached for the keys to the ford. Faith grabbed them first.

"No way in hell am I letting you drive my car." She told Hope.

"I have driven it before you know."

"That was a rare occasion, I was unconscious in the back seat." Faith said as she put on her dark purple leather jacket.

Hope gave Faith a friendly glare and followed Dean out of the room.

"Well ya ready?" Sam asked Faith.

"Yup lets go."

Sam Picked the lock on Cooper's trailer and him and Faith walk in. "Man the guy lives like a pig." Faith said as she looked around the room.

"I thought you said you knew where to get a brass knife, what are we doing at the carnival?" Hope asked Dean.

"Getting a brass knife, don't worry I got this covered."

"Right, sure you do."

"Would you just be quiet." Dean said to her as he concentrated on picking the lock to the blind mans room. Hope rolled her eyes and turned the door handle, the door opened.

"Ever think to try opening it first?" She said with a tone.

"Well aren't you just a smart one."

"I like to think so." She said with a grin.

"After you."

"Aw gee thanks Dean, never took you for the gentleman type." She said walking in. It had rained earlier and her foot slipped on the metal stair, she fell back into Dean's arms. Their eyes locked for a moment and Dean got a weird tingling feeling in his stomach, something that just didn't happen to him.

"Are you ok?" he asked her.

She smiled up at him, he liked her smile. "Yeah, um thanks, good catch by the way." She said as he helped her back to her feet.

"I knew I could sweep you off your feet." He said in a cocky voice.

"Don't read anything into it." She said with a grin.

They walked in the room and the blind man was sitting on his bed.

"Excuse me sir but I was curious to see if you had any brass throwing knives?" Dean asked.

"Well, I've got all kinds of knives. I don't know if I've got a brass one, though."

"Well go ahead." Faith tells Sam pointing to the bed. Sam pulls out a pocket knife and starts slicing open the mattress when they hear a shotgun cock behind them; they turn around and Cooper is there pointing the gun right at them.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked them

"Come with me." The blind man tells the two, he leads them over to a trunk and he taps it with his cane. "Check the trunk."

Dean opens the trunk and finds a red clown wig. He pauses, and motions for Hope to come over and look. They exchange looks. Dean turns around and faces the blind man, "You?"

The blind man drops his cane, and pulls off his glasses; his eyes look normal, then go cloudy and his face begins to melt. He waves, then disappears.

"Crap!" Dean yells.

Dean runs over to the door and struggles trying to get out. A knife flies past his head to bury in the door. "Dean look out!" Hope Yells. He jumps. Another lands with a thunk a little higher.

Dean finally manages to get the door open, he grabs Hope hand and books it out of there, stumbling.

Faith and Sam come running up, "Hey! So, Cooper thinks Sam is a Peeping Tom, but it's not him." Faith says

"Ya think?" Hope says through heavy breaths.

"So we gathered. It's the blind guy, he's here somewhere." Dean says.

"Well, did you get the –" Sam starts to say.

"The brass blades? No, it's been one of those days." Dean replies.

"I got an idea. Come on." Sam says.

"Can't you let someone else have an idea for once, geesh." Faith said.

"Well whats your idea?" Sam asked.

Faith stood there for a moment trying to think of something witty to say, "Ya I go nothin."

They all enter the funhouse; as they go through, a door slams between them. Faith and Dean on one side and Sam and Hope on the other. They struggle to open it.

"Sam!" Dean yells

"Faith!" Hope calls out

"Dean! Dean, find the maze, okay?"

"Alright, watch out for each other ok!" Dean yells back.

"Do the same!" Hope replies.

Sam starts to walk around, he's looking for something. "What are you looking for?" Hope asks him.

"This." He says as he finds a pipe organ, its giving off steam. He grabs for one of the pipes, flinching from the heat. He takes something from his pocket and starts pulling off a pipe.

Dean and Faith walk around the corner.

"Hey." Dean said.

"Hey! Where is it?" Hope asks.

"I don't know, I mean, shouldn't we see its clothes walking around?" Dean says just as a knife flies past Dean, pinning his sleeve to the wall. Another one pins his wrist. "Sam!" Dean yells. Hope runs over to Dean, so does Faith, they try to pyre the knives off of him. "Look out!" Dean yells. Hope turns around and a knife pins her wrist to the wall and then another flies and pins her other wrist. "Hope!" Faith yells. Knives fly at her but she dodges them and runs over to Sam.

Sam finally pulls the pipe all the way off and stalks forward slowly. A knife flies past his head; he dodges it. "Dean, where is it?"

"I don't know!" Dean yells.

With his free hand Dean reaches up and pulls a lever; more steam pours from the pipe organ, giving a vague shape to the invisible attacker, which Dean and Hope see.

"Sam, behind you! Behind you!" they yell at the same time.

Sam stabs the pipe behind him without looking. He turns and sees it buried in the still-invisible creature, blood pouring from the wound. Dean manages to free himself then Hope. They look to where it's fallen and see only empty clothes and a bloody pipe.

"I hate funhouses." Faith says.

The four of them are sitting at the bar at the roadhouse; Ellen lays down a couple of beers.

"You boys did a hell of a job. Your dad would be proud." She tells them.

"Thanks. But we had a little help from these two." He nods in Faith and Hope's direction.

Jo walks in and sits down next to Dean. Dean, remembering their little moment they had a few days ago gives Sam a look.

"Oh yeah, um, I've gotta... uh, I've gotta go. Over there. Right now." He gets up and walks away. Faith looks at Dean and then Jo, it clicks. She winks at him, grabs her beer and Hope's arm and heads over to Sam.

"So…" Jo says

"So…." Dean replies.

"Am I gonna see you again?" She asks.

"Do you want to?"

"I wouldn't hate it." She smiles at him.

"Hmm. Can I be honest with you? See, normally I'd be hitting on you so fast it'd make your head spin. But, uh, these days... I don't know." He sat there for a moment and glanced over at Hope. For some reason he felt something with her earlier when he caught her. He didn't know why or how but to be honest it kinda freaked him out a bit.

"Wrong place, wrong time?" Jo said, she noticed him looking over at Hope.

"yeah."

"It's okay, I get it." She moves closer to him and puts her hand on his shoulder. "You might want to hang on to that one," she motions to Hope. "Girls like them are hard to find." Dean gives her a strange look but before he can say anything Ash walks in carrying a folder and a bizarre looking laptop.

"Where you guys been? Been waitin' for ya." He asks noticing the girls. He sets the folder and laptop down and walks over to Faith and Hope; he slicks back his mullet and puts his arm on the karaoke machine. "Well, hello there." He tries to sound sexy.

"We were working a job, Ash. Clowns?" Sam says loudly, getting Ash's attention.

"Clowns? What the f-"

"You got something for us, Ash?"

Ash nods and sets the laptop up on a table. It looks homemade, with exposed wiring. He glances at the girls again, unsure if the boys want them around for this. "Can everyone in the room know?"

Sam nods, "Did you find the demon?"

"It's nowhere around. At least, nowhere I can find. But if this fugly bastard raises his head, I'll know. I mean, I'm on it like Divine on dog dookie."

"What do you mean?" Faith asks confused.

"I mean, any of those signs or omens appear, anywhere in the world. my rig'll go off. Like a fire alarm."

"Ash, where did you learn to do all this?" Sam asks.

"M.I.T. Before I got bounced for... fighting." They give him a weird look, "It's a school in Boston."

"Okay. You give us a call as soon as you know something?" Dean said

"Si, si, compadre." Ash said.

The four of them get up to leave when Ellen says, "Hey, listen, if you boys need a place to stay I've got a couple beds out back." She looks to Faith and Hope, "Same goes for you two as well."

"Thanks, but no. There's something I gotta finish." Dean says.

"Yeah thanks Ellen, but we should hit the road to." Hope says.

"Okay." Ellen Replies.

Dean and Sam's minivan broke down just outside of the roadhouse so Faith and Hope gave them a ride back to Bobby's. The girls had been on the road for a long time so they happily took Bobby's invitation to stay the night.

Dean was outside working on the Impala, Sam was pacing nearby, unsure if he should approach his brother. Against his better judgment he walks over to him. "You were right."

"About what?" Dean asks.

"About me and dad. I'm sorry that the last time I was with him I tried to pick a fight. I'm sorry that I spent most of my life angry at him. I mean, for all I know he died thinking that I hate him. So you're right. What I'm doing right now, it's too little. It's too late." Sam pauses.

Faith walks out of Bobby's house and heads over to where she hears the boys talking, she stops when Sam continues. "I miss him, man. And I feel guilty as hell. And I'm not all right. Not at all. But neither are you. That much I know." Sam pauses hoping his brother will say something, when He doesn't Sam says, "I'll let you get back to work."

Faith hides behind a car as Sam walks past her and back into Bobby's house, She comes out from behind the car and heads for Dean. She sees him standing there for a moment, before he picks up a crowbar and smashing the window of a nearby car. Then he starts slamming it into the trunk of his own car, over and over. Faith runs over to Dean and grabs his hand, he turns around fast, the crowbar is rose like he is going to hit her with it. She grabs his hand and takes the crowbar from him. He lets out a scream and punches the car door of the Impala. Faith grabs his shoulders, "Look at me." She tells him. He hesitates for a moment before obeying. "I get it Dean, I really do. I lost my mom, my dad, and my baby sister all in one night. I was only twelve years old and I had this ten year old little sister to take care of. I know your mad…"

He cut her off, "You don't understand Faith, the only reason I'm alive is because my dad made a deal with that damn demon. I was supposed to die, but instead he did."

She took a breath, "I figured that's how it all happened." Faith explained to Dean what Hope had seen in the basement, how they are hunting the same demon. "I get you feel responsible for your dad's death, and I get this is how you deal. But you can't do this shit to Sam alright. He needs you to be there for him too."

Dean sighed before looking at her, Faith continued, "Trust me, I know this is a lonely life, all you have is Sam and Bobby, and all I have is my sister. But we are here now, you don't have to fight this alone. Don't worry about protecting us, we're hunters, dying is an occupational hazard."

Dean laughed, "Yeah I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a little help."

"Well I'm glad you agree, because you didn't have a choice to begin with. Now come on, go by my sister a drink, let's hit the bar."

Dean glanced at the Impala, "But the demon…"

"He'll be there in the morning."

They walk back in the house together and Faith gives Dean a look and then glances at Hope. "Go talk to her, she has feeling and shit and I think you hurt them earlier."

Faith makes her way over to the fridge and grabs a piece of cherry pie and a tall glass of milk. Dean sighs before walking over to Hope.

"Hey." He says.

"Hey."

"Look I'm sorry about getting so pissed at you when you were just trying to help me out. I'm disturbed ok."

She laughed, "Yeah I know, you're just like my sister." She glanced over to where Faith was. "It's almost freakish how much you guys are the same."

Dean looked over to Faith, envying her pie, "Yeah, you and Sam are that way too." She nodded. "Anyways Faith wants to hit the bar, why don't we head that way and we talk about this over a few beers."

Hope smiled at him, "I'd like that."


	7. Bloodlust

**Bloodlust**

**THREE WEEKS LATER**

"Ahhh, my head." Faith moaned as she ungracefully fell out of the bed with a thud. She shot up from the floor and looked around, unsure of where she was. She sighed remembering some of the night before, "Right, we're at Bobby's." She threw her pillow at the body on the bed, "Hope get your ass up, its noon dude, we gotta hit the road." There was no movement. She got up and threw the covers back revealing a very naked Sam Winchester.

Sam moaned, "Come on Dean just a few more minutes." He opened his eyes and was very much awake when he saw a very naked Faith Remington. She screamed and grabbed the sheet off of him so she could cover up with it, not like it did much good, it barely covered all of her junk. Sam jumped out of bed covering his goodies with his hands and backing up against the wall. Dean and Hope came funning in the room at the sound of Faith screaming.

"You guys ok?!" Dean asked as he threw the door open. He locked eyed with a very confused Faith, gave her a good once over, and then found Sam on the other side of the room.

"Please don't tell me, we…ya know." Faith said, looking at Dean.

"Well I don't know what you did last night but by the looks of things you guys did…ya know." He said smiling.

"Dean, please stop looking at me that way." Faith told him.

"What? There's a naked girl in the room give the guy a break."

Hope rolled and Sam their eyes at Dean and Hope grabbed him by the arm, "Come on you perv, let's give them a little privacy." Dean winked at Same before leaving the room.

Faith took in a deep breath, and like Sam was some sort of outer worldly creature, she carefully walked over to him. "Okay so do you remember last night?"

Sam nodded. "A little bit of it yeah, we went to the bar had more than a few drinks. I remember kissing you, I remember it being good." He grinned.

"Not helping Sam."

"Right, sorry. Then I remember coming back to Bobby's, really kissing you and you were taking my clothes off, I was taking your clothes off, then before I know it we're both naked…its kinda fuzzy after that."

"Awesome, just awesome. " Faith walked over to the other side of the bed and dropped the sheet.

Sam stood there for a moment a little dumb founded, "Um you want me to leave, or turn around or something?"

"Look Sam, obviously you have seen all of this." She gestured to all of her, "So if it makes you feel better, turn around."

Our of respect Sam half way turned his head but kept looking at her, he noticed a few scars on her back and one across her stomach, battle scars he figured. Regardless, she was beautiful to him. She had a huge dream catcher tattoo on her left shoulder blade with three names in the hanging feathers, another was on the back of her neck, Japanese symbols maybe. She finished getting dressed, picked up Sam's clothes and walked them over to him.

"Look this may seem a little weird to you, but I'm going to do it anyway." She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled his face down to hers, he was a considerably amount taller than her. She hesitated for a moment before kissing him, and not just kissing him, REALLY kissing him. He didn't fight her, nor did he want to. Certain parts of the night before flashed across her mind and when she pulled away from him all she could do was smile.

"Alright then, I'll let you get dressed." He turned and headed downstairs, leaving a naked Sam very speechless.

"Soooo, are you going to tell me what that was all about?!" Hope said as Faith walked into the kitchen, Dean was sitting at the table with Hope grinning.

"Dean would you mind?" Faith asked him.

"Oh come on."

"I'm not sharing my sex life with you."

"You're no fun." Dean got up and walked into Bobby's study.

Faith sat down next to her sister and smiled, "It wasn't like the normal lay, I mean he was so smooth and graceful. Does that sound dumb? I don't know it's so hard to explain. It was full of emotion and it was just so….oh god, I'm turning into my sister!"

Hope backhanded Faith on the arm, "Shut up, just because I like to actually like the person I share intimacy with doesn't make me a wus."

"What you just said, proves you are." Faith grinned, "I don't Hope, its weird and kinda freakin me out."

"Oh you'll be fine."

Sam walked down the stairs and poured himself a cup of milk, he walked over and sat down next to Faith, Hope was grinning at him. Just then Bobby came in the room, "Well boys and girls it looks like I have a job for you, some cattle mutilations up in Red Lodge, Montana. Along with some people losing their heads.

"Sounds like fun, Shall we?" Dean excitedly jumps up and motions for everyone to follow him.

They all head outside and the girls head over to their Ford, before they get in they hear an engine rev up and Dean and the fully restored Impala come around the corner, "Oh yeah, we're takin my baby." Dean calls out the window. Hope and Sam just laugh and Faith smiles big at the pretty beast.

"Man Dean you did a nice job." She throws her keys to Bobby. "Put her in the shed for me will ya?" He nods and they all climb in Dean's baby.

The black beauty car zooms up a 2-lane road, Dean behind the wheel. He is in a good mood, grooving along to AC/DC Back in Black.

"Whoo! Listen to her purr! Have you ever heard anything so sweet?" Dean says with a grin.

Hope leans forward from the back seat, "You know, if you two want to get a room, just let us know, Dean."

"Oh, don't listen to her, baby. She doesn't understand us." He pats the car on the dash with his hand.

"You're in a good mood." Sam says.

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"No reason." Sam says.

"Got my car, got a case, got my brother sittin shotgun and two hotties in the backseat, things are looking up Sammy."

"Wow. You hear a couple of severed heads and a pile of dead cows and you're Mister Sunshine." Hope says. Dean looks at her in his review mirror and winks, she tries not to smile back at him, but she can't help it.

"How far to Red Lodge?" Dean asks.

"Uh, about another three hundred miles." Faith says looking at the map.

"Good." He grins and floors it.

The Impala pulls up to the Red Lodge sheriff's station, all of them dressed in their reports best. "Alright it may seem a little odd if we all go in, why don't Hope and Dean go and Sam and I will wait in the car." Faith says.

"Good plan." Hope says as she gets out of the car, Dean follows.

They walk in and see the sheriff behind the desk, he has a very impressive mustache and a belly hanging over his pants.

Assuming they are reporters the sheriff stands and pulls up his pants, "The murder investigation is ongoing, and that's all I can share with the press at this time." He says in a stern voice.

"Sure, sure, we understand that, but just for the record, you found the first, uh, head last week, correct?" Hope said smiling.

"Mm-hmm."

"Okay, and the other, a uh, Christina Flanigan." Hope said.

"That was two days ago. Is there –" A young woman knocks on the door, and points at her watch. "Oh. Sorry, time's up, we're done here."

"One last question –" Hope says.

"Yeah, what about the cattle?" Dean says.

"Excuse me?"

"You know, the cows found dead, split open, drained... over a dozen cases." Dean explains.

"What about them?"

"So you don't think there's a connection?" Hope asks.

"Connection... with..."

"First cattle mutilations, now two murders? Kinda sounds like ritual stuff." Hope said.

"You know, like satanic cult ritual stuff?" Dean says.

The sheriff laughs, "You - you're not kidding."

"No." They say together.

"Those cows aren't being mutilated. You wanna know how I know?"

"How?" Hope asks.

"Because there's no such thing as cattle mutilation. Cow drops, leave it in the sun, within forty eight hours the bloat will split it open so clean it's just about surgical. The bodily fluids fall down into the ground and get soaked up because that's what gravity does. But, hey, it could be Satan. What newspaper did you say you work for?

"World Weekly News..." Dean says.

Hope rolls her eyes, "Weekly World News."

"World –" Dean tries again.

"Weekly World –" Hope attempts to save his ass.

"Weekly... I'm new."

"Get out of my office." The sheriff says.

This time Sam and Faith go in, they are wearing their suits plus a white lab coat, the enter the morgue, The intern on duty has a name tag that reads "J. Manners." Sam looks at it, calculating.

"John." Faith says.

"It's Jeff."

"Jeff. I know that. Dr. Dworkin needs to see you in his office right away."

"But Dr. Dworkin's on vacation."

"Well, he's back. And he's pissed, and he's screaming for you, man, so if I were you I would... okay." The intern runs away, "Hey, did you hear of those satanists in Florida?" Sam nods, "They marked their victims, didn't they?

"Yeah, reversed pentacle on the forehead." Sam said.

"Yeah. So much f-d up crap happens in Florida." Faith said.

Faith looks around the room and sees some latex gloved she hands Sam a pair and puts on a pair of her own; Sam opens a compartment and wheels out a corpse; there's a box between its legs.

"All right, open it." Faith says.

"You open it." Sam tells her.

"Wuss." Faith carries the box over to another table and flips off the lid, grimacing. Sam approaches, cringing. "Well, no pentagram."

"Wow. Poor girl."

"Maybe we should, uh, you know, look in her mouth, see if those wackos stuffed anything down her throat. You know, kinda like Moth in Silence of the Lambs." Faith says.

"Yeah, here, go ahead." Sam says pushing the box closer to her.

"No, you go ahead." She pushes it back.

"What?"

"Put the lotion in the basket." She grins.

"Right, yeah, I'm the wuss, huh? Whatever." Sam makes a disgusted face and starts poking his fingers into the mouth

"Faith, get me a bucket?"

"You find something?"

"No, I'm going to puke."

"Wait, lift the lip up again." She says.

"What? You want me to throw up, is that it?"

"No, I think I saw something." She pulls the lip back, "What is that a hole?" She presses on the gum and a narrow, sharp tooth descends.

"It's a tooth."

"Sam, that's a fang. Retractable set of vampire fangs, you've got to be kidding me."

"Well, this changes things." Sam says.

"Ya think?"

They Impala pulls up near a local bar, and goes around to park. They all get out in their normal clothes and walk in.

They approach the bar; and a man is sitting at a table to one side, he's watching them.

"How's it going?" Dean asks.

"Living the dream. What can I get for you?" The bartender asks.

"Four beers, please."

"So, we're looking for some people." Sam says.

"Sure. Hard to be lonely." The bartender says.

Dean gives him a weird look, "We're with these two," he points to the girls, "Dude, you really think were lonely?"

Sam pulls out a $50 bill, and drops it on the bar; the bartender takes it.

"Right. So these, these people, they would have moved here about six months ago, probably pretty rowdy, like to drink..." The bartender explains.

"Yeah, real night owls, you know? Sleep all day, party all night." Faith says.

"Barker farm got leased out a couple months ago. Real winners. They've been in here a lot - drinkers. Noisy. I've had to 86 them once or twice." He explains.

"Thanks." Hope says.

They leave their half-finished beers on the table and leave. The man who was watching them is gone, a smoldering cigarette left behind. As They leave, the man watches, then stalks them. They go down an alley, he follows. He loses sight of them, and turns around. The four of them are suddenly there, pinning him to the wall, Faith with a knife at his throat.

"Smile." She tells him.

"What?" He asks.

"Show us those pearly whites." She says.

"Oh, for the love of - you want to stick that thing someplace else? I'm not a vampire." Sam frowns, and Faith keeps steady, "Yeah, that's right. I heard you guys in there."

"What do you know about vampires?" Hope asks.

"How to kill them. Now seriously, sista. That knife's making me itch."

Faith cocks her head and smiles, The man starts to pull away, but Sam pins him harder.

"Whoa. Easy there, chachi." The man says as he slowly brings his right hand to his lip, pulls it back, revealing normal gums. "See? Fangless. Happy?"

Faith hesitates before letting up a bit, she still doesn't fully trust him. "Now. Who the hell are you?"

They all follow the man to his, he pulls out his arsenal. "Sam and Dean Winchester. I can't believe it. You know I met your old man once? Hell of a guy. Great hunter. I heard he passed. I'm sorry. It's big shoes. But from what I hear you guys fill 'em. Great trackers, good in a tight spot." He glances at the girls, "And you two are?"

Not allowing the girls to answer Dean says, "You seem to know a lot about our family.

"Word travels fast. You know how hunters talk."

"No, we don't, actually." Dean says.

"I guess there's a lot your dad never told you, huh?"

"So, those two vampires, they were yours, huh?" Hope asked.

"Yep. Been here two weeks."

"Did you check out that Barker farm?" Faith asked.

"It's a bust. Just a bunch of hippie freaks. Though they could kill you with that patchouli smell alone."

"Where's the nest, then?" Dean asks.

"I've got this one covered. Look, don't get me wrong. It's a real pleasure meetin' you fellas. But I've been on this thing over a year. I killed a fang back in Austin, tracked the nest all the way up here. I'll finish it."

"We could help." Dean says.

"Thanks, but uh, I'm kind of a go-it-alone type of guy."

"Come on, man, I"ve been itching for a hunt." Dean says.

"Sorry. But hey, I hear there's a Chupacabra two states over. You go ahead and knock yourselves out." He gets in his car. "It was real good meeting you, though. I'll buy you a drink on the flip side."

"Hey what did you say your name was again?" Faith asked.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Faith, my sister Hope."

"Gordon." He reaches his hand out to shake Faith's, she stares at it for a moment then shakes it. "Pleasures all mine." He puts the car in drive and speeds off.

"So are we leaving?" Sam asks.

"Not a chance in hell." Dean says staring after Gordon's car.

A man is sitting in the quiet mill, alone. He hears a noise and starts investigating. He goes up to the roof, and pulls out a crowbar. A crow flies at his head, startling him. He relaxes, then turns around to find...

Gordon attacking him with a machete. The man extends his fangs. They struggle near an electric saw; the vampire turns it on, pinning Gordon down below it, nearly decapitating him until...Sam pulls him to safety; Dean attacks the vampire, getting him pinned under the electric saw. Without a second thought he lowers the saw decapitating him, blood spatters his face.

Faith and Hope are standing with their arms crossed, "Man, we didn't even get to do anything." Faith complains.

"So uh, I guess I gotta buy you that drink." Gordon says.

Sam glances at Hope and then back to Dean, the both look at him a little stunned at what just happened.

All five of them are sitting around a table in the bar. A waitress brings them another round, Dean reaches for his wallet.

"No, no, I got it." Gordon says.

"Come on." Dean says.

"I insist." He turns his attention to the waitress, "Thanks sweetie." He raises his shot glass, "Another one bites the dust."

"That's right." Dean says and throws it back.

Sam and Hope are not having as much fun as the other three, they are sitting there with their arms crossed, neither one of them has touched their drinks. Faith notices the still full shot glasses. She takes them both and throws them back, "God that's good."

Gordon laughs, "Dean, You gave that big-ass fang one hell of a haircut, my friend."

"Why thank you."

"That was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful." Faith says as she takes a drink of beer.

"Yep. You all right, Sammy?" Dean asks, he looks over at Hope, "You guys ok?"

"Fine." They say together.

"Well, lighten up a little, Sammy."

Sam glares at Gordon, "He's the only one who gets to call me that."

"Okay. No offense meant. Just celebrating a little. Job well done."

"Right. Well, decapitations aren't my idea of a good time, I guess." Sam said.

"Yeah, mine either." Hope said.

"Oh, come one, you two, it's not like it was human. You've gotta have a little more fun with your job."

"See? That's what I've been trying to tell him. You could learn a thing or two from this guy." Dean says.

"Yeah, I bet I could. Look, I'm not gonna bring you guys down. I'm just gonna go back to the motel."

"I think I'm going to go with him." Hope says.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." They said together. Sam and Hope get up from the table and Faith does to, she walks over to Sam, a little tuned, he cant help but smile at her. She kiss's him on the lips and slaps his ass on the way back to the table. She sits down and pulls her sister down to her level. " .you." She tells her. Hope laughs and turns her attention to Dean.

"Look out for her ok."

Dean nods and throws the keys to Sam, he gets up and grabs Hope by the arm, "Hey you can stay you know."

"I know, I just, I'm tired is all."

"Well I'd really like it if you did stay." He tells her.

She sighs, "Goodnight Dean." She pulls away from him and follows Sam to the Impala.

"Something I said?" Gordon asks.

"No, no, he just gets that way sometimes. Hey how'd you get started anyhow?" Dean asked.

"First time I saw a vampire I was barely eighteen. Home alone with my sister. I hear the window break in her room. I grab my dad's gun, run in, try to get it off her. Too late. So I shoot the damn thing. Which of course is about as useful as snapping it with a rubber band. It rushes me, picks me up, flings me across the room, knocks me out cold. When I wake up, the vampire's gone, my sister's gone."

"And then?" Faith asks.

"Then... try explaining that one to your family. So I left home. And then bummed around looking for information: how you track 'em, how you kill 'em. And I found that fang - it was my first kill."

"Sorry about your sister." Dean said.

"Yeah. She was beautiful. I can still see her, you know? The way she was. But hey, that was a long time ago. I mean, your dad. It's gotta be rough."

"Yeah. Yeah, you know. He was just one of those guys. Took some terrible beatings, just kept coming. So you're always thinking to yourself, he's indestructible. He'll always be around, nothing can kill my dad. Then just like that he's gone. I can't talk about this to Sammy. You know, I gotta keep my game face on. But uh, the truth is I'm not handling it very well. I feel like I have this –"

"Hole inside you? And it just gets bigger and bigger and darker and darker?" Faith says, staring at her empty shot glass.


	8. A Vampire named Lenore

A Vampire named Lenore

Sam and Hope walk in the cheap hotel room and Sam throws the keys on the table, he sits down and studies the floor, thinking. "Do you suppose your sister is only into me when she's had a few?

Hope smiled, "Sam, don't worry about Faith, she lives in the moment of things and I'm going to be honest here, she is not the relationship type. Just don't get your hopes up is all." She said grabbingtwo beers from the fridge.

He sighed taking the beer, "It's weird, finally meeting someone you can actually be with. I mean I could never be with a normal person. I have already discovered that."

"What do you mean? I like to think we always have a shot at a normal life."

"I tried the whole normal life thing, went to college, got a good girl, had friends. But then it all ended."

"How so?"

Sam took a long drink of his beer remembering Jessica, "The yellow eyed demon killed Jess, she was my girlfriend, he killed her so I would get back in the game."

Hope sat there for a moment eyes wide, "I'm, I'm really sorry Sam."

"Its ok, the past is what it is." He set his beer down and grabbed his phone out of his pocket, flipping it open and dialing.

"Who you calling."

"Ellen, this Gordon guy doesn't seem right." Hope nodded in agreement. "Hey, Ellen, uh, Sam Winchester."

"Sam, it's good to hear from you. You boys are okay, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. Got a question."

"Yeah, shoot."

"You ever run across a guy named Gordon Walker?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I know Gordon."

"And?"

"Well, he's a real good hunter. Why are you asking, sweetie?"

"Well, we ran into him on a job and we're kinda working with him, I guess."

"Don't do that, Sam."

"I - I thought you said he was a good hunter." He asked confused.

"Yeah, and Hannibal Lecter's a good psychiatrist. Look, he is dangerous to everyone and everything around him. If he's working on a job you boys just let him handle it and you move on."

"Ellen –" Sam began but Ellen cut him off.

"No, Sam? You just listen to what I'm telling you, okay?" She was stern.

"Right, okay." Sam hung up and turned to Hope.

"Well what did she say?"

"Apparently he's a good hunter but a whack job."

"And he's having beers with your brother and my sister."

"Yeah…"

Meanwhile back at the bar the three of them were still swapping stories and throwing back shots, "Know why I love this life?" Gordon said. "It's all black and white. There's no maybe. You find the bad thing, kill it. See, most people spend their lives in shades of gray. Is this right? Is that wrong? Not us."

"Not sure Sammy would agree with you, but uh..."

"Yeah Hope either, she's out to save the world and what not." Faith said.

"Doesn't seem like your brother or sister are much like us." Gordon says and faith gives Dean a weird look. "I'm not saying he's wrong. Just different. But you two and myself? We were born to do this. It's in our blood." Dean looks over to faith and they share a similar thought.

"You want something to drink?" Sam asks

"Sure, grab me a Dr. Pepper from the machine." Hope says.

"Sure thing." Sam grabs some change and heads outside.

Sam walks over and buys a soda from a vending machine, he starts walking back to the room. He pauses as if hearing something, he cautiously opens the door, "Hope, you ok?" He yells in and looks around. Suddenly a dark figure jumps him from behind. He knocks his first attacker down, then the second; the first attacker rises up behind him and slams a heavy telephone into the back of his head, knocking him out. He faintly sees an unconscious Hope lying on the floor.

Sam and Hope are bound to a chair and gagged, a sack over their heads; they hear footsteps and they bags are pulled off by the bartender from earlier. He shows fangs and advances on Sam, who struggles. Hope struggles in her chair trying to free herself. As the vampire advances on Sam, a woman appears in the doorway.

"Wait! Step back, Eli." She tells him Eli pulls back, his fangs retracting. The woman walks over and pulls off Sam and Hope's gag.

"My name's Lenore, I'm not going to hurt you. We just need to talk."

"Talk? Yeah, okay, but I might have a tough time paying attention to much besides Eli's teeth." Sam said.

"He won't hurt you either, you have my word."

Sam and Hope exchange looks, "Your word? Oh yeah, great, thanks. Listen lady, no offense but you're not the first vampire I've met."

"We're not like the others. We don't kill humans, and we don't drink their blood. We haven't for a long time."

"What is this, some kind of joke? Don't tell me you got Edward Cullen as a neighbor." Hope said.

"Notice you're still alive." Lenore said.

"Okay, uh, correct me if I'm wrong here, but shouldn't you be starving to death?" Sam asked.

"We've found other ways. Cattle blood."

"You gotta be kidding me." Hope says, "We're dead Sam, and this is some twisted joke the devil is playing on us."

"Wait, so you're telling me you're responsible for all the cows?" Sam askes.

"It's not ideal, in fact it's disgusting. But it allows us to get by."

"Okay, uh, why?" Hope asks.

"Survival. No deaths, no missing locals, no reason for people like you to come looking for people like us. We blend in. Our kind is practically extinct. Turns out we weren't quite as high up the food chain as we imagined." Lenora explains.

"Why are we explaining ourselves to this killer?" Eli shouts. "We choke on cow's blood so that none of them suffer. Tonight they murdered Conrad and they celebrated."

"Eli, that's enough."

"Yeah, Eli, that's enough." Sam says.

"What's done is done. We're leaving this town tonight." The female vampire explains.

"Then why did you bring us here? Why are you even talking to me?" Sam asks.

"Believe me, I'd rather not. But I know your kind. Once you have the scent you'll keep tracking us, it doesn't matter where we go. Hunters will find us."

"So you're asking us not to follow you." Hope says.

"We have a right to live, we're not hurting anyone."

"Right, so you keep saying, but give me one good reason why I should believe you." Hope says.

"Fine. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to let you go." They both look at Lenora, startled. "Take them back. Not a mark on them."

Two vampires lead Sam and Hope back to the truck, their heads covered in the sack again. They drive off.

Dean and Gordon are discussing a strategy to hunt down the vampires while Faith is buying another round of beers, "What time is it? Where is Sam?" Dean asks.

Gordon looks out the window, "Car's parked outside. Probably went for a walk. Seems like the take a walk type."

"Yeah, he is, but..."

The door opens and Sam and Hope enter. He gives Dean a look. "Where you been Sammy?" Dean asks

"Can I talk to you alone?"

Dean looks at Gordon, "You mind chillin' out for a couple minutes?"

They turn and head for the parking lot, Hope walks over and grabs Faith by the arm and follows the boys out.

They walk out in the parking lot during "Dean, maybe we've got to rethink this hunt." Sam says.

"What are you talking about? Where were you two?" Dean asks/

"In the nest." Hope says.

"You found it?"

"They found us, man." Sam says.

"How'd you get out? How many did you kill?" Faith asks.

"None." Sam says.

"Well Sam, they didn't just let you go." Dean says.

"That's exactly what they did." Sam and Hope say together.

"All right, well, where is it?" Faith asked.

"I was blindfolded, I don't know."

"Well, you've got to know something." Dean said.

"We went over that bridge outside of town, but Dean, listen. Maybe we shouldn't go after them."

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"I don't think they're like other vampires. I don't think they're killing people." Hope said.

"You're joking. Then how do they stay alive? Or undead, or whatever the hell they are." Faith said.

"The cattle mutilations. They said they live off of animal blood." Hope said.

"And you believed them?" Dean said.

"Look at us, Dean. They let us go without a scratch." Hope said.

"Wait, so you're saying... No, man, no way. I don't know why they let you go. I don't really care. We find 'em, we waste 'em." Dean said.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"What part of 'vampires' don't you understand, Sam? If it's supernatural, we kill it, end of story. That's our job."

"No, Dean, that is not our job. Our job is hunting evil. And if these things aren't killing people, they're not evil!" Hope yelled.

"Of course they're killing people, that's what they do. They're all the same, Hope. They're not human, okay? We have to exterminate every last one of them."

"No, Dean, I don't think so, all right? Not this time." Sam said.

"Gordon's been on those vamps for a year, man, he knows." Faith said.

"You're taking his word for it?" Hope asked.

"That's right." Faith said.

"Ellen says he's bad news." Sam said.

"You called Ellen?" Dean asked and Sam nodded, "And I'm supposed to listen to her? We barely know her, Sam, no thanks, I'll go with Gordon."

"Right, 'cause Gordon's such an old friend. You don't think I can see what this is?" Sam says.

"What are you talking about?"

"Yeah Sam what are you talking about?" Faith says.

"He's a substitute for Dad, isn't he? A poor one." Sam says.

"Shut up, Sam." Dean says angerly.

"He's not even close, Dean. Not on his best day."

"You know what? I'm not even going to talk about this." Dean says.

"You know, you slap on this big fake smile but I can see right through it. Because I know how you feel, Dean. Dad's dead. And he left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can't take it, but you can't just fill up that hole with whoever you want to. It's an insult to his memory."

"Okay," Dean starts to turn away, then punches Sam, hard.

"What the hell Dean?!" Hope yells.

Sam pauses for a moment and then faces his brother, "You hit me all you want. It won't change anything."

"I'm going to that nest. You don't want to tell me where it is, fine. I'll find it myself." He turns and walks away, yelling over his shoulder, "Faith you comin?"

Faith looks at Sam then her sister, "Sorry but he's right, a vampires a vampire and killing them saves hundreds." She turned and ran after Dean.

"Faith! Get back here! Are you kidding me right now?!" Hope yells. After her sister.

The four of them walk into their hotel room Sam sits down on the bed, "You think he went after them?" He asks referring to Gordon.

"Probably."

"Dean, we have to stop him." Sam says.

"Really, Sam? Because I say we lend a hand." Dean says.

"Just give me the benefit of the doubt, would you? You owe me that."

"Yeah, we'll see. I'll drive. Give me the keys." Dean says. Sam points to the table where he'd set them earlier; they're gone.

"He snaked the keys." Sam said.

Dean is hotwiring his car and grimacing. "I can't believe this. I just fixed her up, too." The engine fires up, "So the bridge, is that all you got?"

"The bridge was four and a half minutes from their farm." Hope said.

"How do you know?" Dean asked.

"I counted." Hope starts tracing a path on the map in her lap. "They took a left out of the farm, then turned right onto a dirt road, followed that for two minutes slightly up a hill, then took another quick right and we hit the bridge."

"You're good. You're a monster pain in the ass, but you're good." Dean said with a grin.

"Come on is boys and girls." They hear Gordon's voice from inside the farm house, the walk in cautiously to find, Gordon dipping his knife into a jar of blood. Lenore is tied to a chair nearby, covered in cuts, pale and sickly. He circles around her, slices the bloody knife across her chest. she gasps.

"Hey, Gordon. What's going on?" Dean asks.

"Just poisoning Lenore here with some dead man's blood. She's going to tell us where all her little friends are, aren't you? Want to help?" Gordon asks.

"Look, man," Faith beings.

"Grab a knife. I was just about to start in on the fingers." He drags the knife across her arm, she lets out a painful cry.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, let's all just chill out, huh?" Dean said.

"I'm completely chill."

"Gordon, put the knife down." Sam says. Sam takes a step towards Gordon, Dean stops him with a hand on his chest.

"Sounds like it's Sam here needs to chill." Gordon says.

"Just step away from her, all right?" Hope says.

"You're right. I'm wasting my time here. This bitch will never talk. Might as well put her out of her misery." He pulls out a larger knife, "I just sharpened it, so it's completely humane." He turns towards Lenore; and to everyone's surprise Faith steps in front of him, blocking him from the vampire.

"Gordon, I'm letting her go." Sam says from behind and walks over to faith.

Gordon points the knife at Faith's chest, stopping Sam in his tracks..

"You're not doing a damn thing." Gordon says.

"Hey, hey, hey, Gordon, let's talk about this." Dean says, Hope takes a step closer to her sister but Dean grabs her arm stopping her.

"What's there to talk about? It's like I said, Dean. No shades of gray."

"Yeah. I hear ya. And I know how you feel. That vampire that killed your sister deserved to die, but this one..." Dean said.

Gordon started laughing, never taking his eyes from Faith's, "Killed my sister? That filthy fang didn't kill my sister. It turned her. It made her one of them. So I hunted her down, and I killed her myself."

"You did what?" Faith said.

"It wasn't my sister anymore, it wasn't human. I didn't blink. And neither would you."

"So you knew all along, then? You knew about the vampires, you knew they weren't killing anyone. You knew about the cattle. And you just didn't care." Sam said.

"Care about what? A nest of vampires suddenly acting nice? Taking a little time out from sucking innocent people? And we're supposed to buy that? Trust me. Doesn't change what they are. And I can prove it." Within the blink of an eyes Gordon grabs Faith's arm, and slices the knife across it, she flinches and tries to defend herself, but Gordon is to fast. Gordon then lays the knife against her throat, dragging her towards Lenore. Dean and Hope pull their guns out and Sam backs up to stand by Dean and Hope."

"Let her go, NOW!" Dean yells, feeling a weird sibling like connection to her, almost as if it was Sam Gordon had.

"Relax. If I wanted to kill her she'd already be on the floor. Just making a little point." Gordon holds the cut on Faith's arm over Lenore, so the blood drips on her face. She hisses, fangs extending.

"Hey!" Hope yells, "Dean…" Her voice was pleading.

"You think she's so different? Still want to save her? Look at her. They're all the same. Evil, bloodthirsty."

To their surprise Lenore controls herself, retracting her fangs, and turns her face away. "No, No!" She yells .

"You hear her, Gordon?" Sam says.

"No!" She yells again.

Distracted by her screams Faith pushes Gordon away, "We're done here."

"Sam, get her out of here. Hope go with him." Dean says. Sam picks Lenore up in his arms and Hope tosses her 1911 Colt pistol with pink pearl handle grips to Faith. She catches it and points it at Gordon. Gordon takes a step towards Sam, but Dean and Faith are holding steady, the barrels of the guns still on him.

Gordon takes an attempt to leave once Sam and Hope are gone, "Get out of my way."

"Sorry but I think we have some things to talk about." Dean said

"You're not serious." Gordon says.

"I'm having a hard time believing it too, but I know what I saw. If you want those vampires, you've gotta go through me."

"And me, you little bitch." Faith says.

"Fine." Gordon slams the knife down on the table.

Dean looks at the knife, then looks at his gun. He pulls the clip out of the gun and sets it aside.

"What the hell are you doing, kill the bastard and lets be done with it." Faith says.

"Run along now Faith."

"Hell no, I'm leaving you alone here."

Dean looks at her, "Go."

She hesitates for a moment before slipping out the door.

Gordon runs at Dean and punches him; they start fighting. Gordon grabs the knife again; Dean groans. They are fairly well matched.

"What are you doing, man? You doing this for a fang? Come on, Dean, we're on the same side here."

"I don't think so, you sadistic bastard."

Gordon picks up Dean and throws him across the room, "You're not like your brother. You're a killer, like me."

Dean kicks Gordon down, hauls him up against the wall, and elbows him in the face, knocking him out. Pinning him under his elbow, he slams Gordon's head into another wall. He sets him in a chair and ties him up. "You know, I might be like you, and I might not. But you're the one tied up right now."

Sam and Hope return to find Faith pacing outside the farm house, she motions for them to follow her in. They see Dean leaning against the table and Gordon tied to the chair.

"Did we miss anything?" Sam asks.

"Nah, not much. Lenore get out okay?"

"Yeah. All of them did." Sam said.

"Then I guess our work here is done. How you doin', Gordy? Gotta tinkle yet? All right. Well, get comfy. We'll call someone in two or three days, have them come out, untie you." Dean said.

"Ready to go, Dean?" Hope asks.

"Not yet. I guess this is goodbye. Well, it's been real." Dean takes a swing and hits Gordon in the face, knocking him to the floor, "Okay. I'm good now. We can go.

As they exit the farmhouse, both Faith and Dean wince at their recent injuries – Faith's left arm is wrapped in a piece of her shirt. Dean stops just outside the house.

"Sam? Clock me one." He tells his brother, Faith and Hope give him a weird look.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Come on. I won't even hit you back. Let's go."

"No."

"Let's go, you can get a freebie. Hit me, come on."

"You look like you just went twelve rounds with a block of cement, Dean. I'll take a rain check."

Dean sighed a little relieved, "All right lets hit the road."

Sam walked over to Faith and put his arm around her, she flinched and pulled away from him. She turned and looked at her sister, almost for approval. She wasn't good at this type of thing. Hope smiled and Faith turned her attention back to Sam.

"Look I know this," Sam pointed to him and then to her, "Isn't perfect, but I'm willing to give it a shot if you are."

"Alright, fine, we can give it a shot I suppose." She put her arm around his waist and they began to walk.

"Here let me help you, you look like your in pain." Hope said as she walked over to Dean and put his arm over her shoulder.

"Thanks, you know I wish we never took this job, just... jacked everything up."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about all the hunts you went on, Sammy and I went on, our whole lives."

"Okay."

"What if we killed things that didn't deserve killing? You know? I mean, the way my dad raised Sam and me..."

"Dean, after what happened to your Mom, your Dad did the best he could. I'm sure he handled it better then more dad's would have."

"I know he did. But the man wasn't perfect. And the way he raised us, to hate those things; and man, I hate 'em. I do. When I killed that vampire at the mill I didn't even think about it; hell, I even enjoyed it."

"You didn't kill Lenore."

"No, but every instinct told me to. I was gonna kill her. I was gonna kill 'em all."

Hope stopped walking and turned to face Dean, she put her hands on his shoulders, "Yeah, Dean, but you didn't. And that's what matters."

"Yeah. Well, 'cause you and my brother are a pain in my ass."

"Guess I might have to stick around to be a pain in the ass, then."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

He stares at her for a moment, he seemed to be lost in her eyes. He reached up his hand to her cheek, and moved in for a kiss. His lips touched hers and after a moment before she pulled away from him, "Dean, I like you, I really do, and your brother, he's great. But I know your type and I'm not just here for a lay. If I'm going to be with someone, I'm really going to be with someone. I'm the type of girl who likes dates, movies, cheap dinners. I want the whole picket fence and white house."

"Really? Even now, even after all you have been through you still dream of that?"

"Of course I do, honestly someday I hope to have a husband, a couple kids, and not have to worry about demons under the bed."

Dean smiled, knowing his dreams were not too far off. "Well then, I'm going to have to work for you aren't I?"

"Honey, if you want to get into these pants, your gonna have to do a lot more then work." They laughed together and She helped him to the driver's side of the car. Sam and Faith were in the backseat, Faith passed out on Sam's lap.

"Looks like your riding shotgun." Dean said with a grin.

They both got in and Dean looked at Sam in his review mirror, Sam smiled at his brother, a smile Dean had not seen in a long time. Dean looked over at Hope who was smiling back at him. His life may not be perfect, he may have lost the people he loved most, but he had found two people who helped fill the holes in his life, not only his life, but Sam's as well.


	9. Children Shouldnt play with dead things

**Children Shouldn't play with dead Things**

The Impala zoomed down a two-lane black top road, Dean is driving, Faith is in the passenger's seat and Hope and Sam are passed out in the back seat.

"This is stupid." Dean said to Faith.

"Why do you think so?" She asked.

"Going to visit our Mom's grave? She doesn't even have a grave, there was no body left after the fire."

"Yeah but Sam told me she has a headstone." Faith said as she pulled out a Mt. Dew and a snickers from the plastic bag that sat between them.

"Yeah, put up by her uncle, a man we've never even met. So he wants to go pay his respects to a slab of granite put up by a stranger?"

"Dean, I don't think that's really the point." She handed him a Slim Jim and a soda.

"Well what the hell is the point?"

"Hell if I know dude, maybe it's not about a body, or, or a casket. Maybe it's about…I don't know her memory?"

"It's irrational is what it is."

"Look, man. No one asked us to come, we're just here to support your brother."

"Why don't we swing by the roadhouse instead? I mean, we haven't heard anything about the demon lately, we should be hunting that son of a bitch down."

"That's a good idea, you should. Drop us off, we can hitch a ride and meet you there tomorrow."

"Right. To be... stuck with those people, making awkward small talk until you guys show up? No thanks."

"Shit man I'm comin' with you, I'm not good at this whole…sympathy thing. Don't worry about him being alone, Hope will go with him, she's in touch with her emotions and all that crap."

"Nah, forget about it, Sam will be pissed if I bail."

Sam kneeled down before a headstone, he digs in the ground with his pocket knife. He pulls out a set of dog tags, his fathers. "I think, um, I think Dad would have wanted you to have these." He buries the tags and tears well up in his eyes, "I love you, Mom." Hope kneels down next to him and puts her hand on his shoulder, he looks up at her and smiles.

Nearby, Dean and Faith are standing by another gravestone, marked as "Loving Father". Dean sees a dying tree, and stops, frowning. He walks over to it and notices a perfect circle of dead grass surrounding a gravestone. He crouches down, thumbing through the dead flowers. Faith walks up behind him.

"That's weird." She says.

"Yeah, your tellin' me." Dean sees a man in a suit, walks over to him and talks about something, he comes back with his card. "Angela Mason. She was a student at the local college; funeral was three days ago." He tells Sam.

"And?" Sam says.

"And? You saw her grave. Everything dead around it, in a perfect circle? You don't think that's a little weird?"

"Maybe the groundskeeper went a little agro with the pesticide." Sam says.

"No, I asked him. No pesticide, no chemicals. Nobody can explain it."

"Okay, so what are you thinking?" Hope asked.

"I dunno. Unholy ground, maybe?" Sam gave him a weird look, "What? If something evil happened there, it could easily poison the ground. Remember the, the farm outside of Cedar Rapids?"

"Yeah, b-" Sam started.

"Could be the sign of a demonic presence. Or the, the Angela girl's spirit, if it's powerful enough." Sam nods and heads for the car, "Well, don't get too excited, you might pull something."

"It's just... stumbling onto a hunt? Here, of all places?"

"So?"

"So? Are you sure this is about a hunt, and not about something else?"

"What else would it be about?" Sam just shakes his head and looks at the ground, "You believe what you want, Sam, but I let you drag my ass out here, the least we could do is check this out.

"Yeah. Fine."

"Girl's dad works in town, he's a professor at the school."

They head to a hotel and decide to check out the dad in the morning. They enter the hotel room to find two beds and a roll out for Dean. It had been a long drive and everyone passed out rather quickly.

Sometime in the middle of the night Sam started thrashing around in bed but not enough to walk up Faith, he shot up in bed, sweat pouring off his face and onto his chest. He looked down at a still sleeping Faith, the only time she ever looked peaceful was when she slept. He smiled at her and headed for the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and took a deep breath, a flash from his nightmare flashed in his mind, it was of a man answering his phone and then going into a gun store and killing at least five people and then stepping in front of a bus. Sam gasps. He leans over the sink in the dingy bathroom, the water running.

"No..." He whispers to himself. He runs a hand under the water and washes his face, scrubbing the hand through his hair. As he shuts the water off and looks up into the mirror, the door opens to reveal Faith.

"Hey you ok?" She asks him.

"Yeah…just a bad dream." Sam hesitates not sure if he is ready to tell her about his visions.

"Sam, that was more than just a bad dream. What's goin on?"

"I have, these visions." She gave him a weird look, "I know it sounds crazy but they always seem to come true, and their all connected to the yellow eyed demon.

"Sam!" Dean yells from behind Faith, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I trust her ok."

"She's a hunter Sam, you just don't go and tell hunters that your some sort of supernatural freak."

"So I'm a freak now?"

Dean grins, "You've always been a freak."

"Hey lets just all calm down, I'm still a little confused on all of this, but I'm not going to hunt Sam because of the voices in his head." Faith said.

"They're not voices, their like premonitions."

Faith and Dean give Sam a weird look, "Ok Phoebe." Faith says "You can just call me Paige, Hope Prue, and Dean Piper. The power of three."

"That's four." Sam says.

"Oh you know what shut up. Back to whats important. So you have these…visions and they come true?" Sam nods, "Alright what was this one about?"

Sam explains what he seen in his vision, "I really think we need to check this one out."

"What about this case?" Dean asks.

"I think the yellow eyed demon tromps unholy ground." Sam says.

"Alright look, I'll go with Sam to where it is this happened, and Hope can stay here with you and work on this case."

"Right, how you planning on getting there?" Dean asks.

Faith looks out the window at the Impala, Dean follows her gaze, "Oh no, no, no, no, hell no."

She sighs, "Fine, I'll rent a car in the morning."

The next morning Faith had gotten up first, she went and got some take out breakfast and a rental car, when she got back everyone was awake and ready for the day. Dean had explained the night before to Hope so she was update on everything.

"Nice!" Dean said walking over to Faith and taking the bag of food from her.

"You're welcome." She said sarcastically. "Alright Sam are you ready? And where are we going?"

"Well I don't exactly know, we need to swing by the roadhouse and see if Ash can get a location for me."

"Do you think that's the best idea? I mean walking into a bar full of hunters and announcing, 'Hey guys I see things that are connected to a demon.' Could cause for some trouble." Faith said.

"Yeah she's right, you two need to be a little bit more inconspicuous." Hope said. "When you go in only talk with Ash."

Sam and Faith headed out and Dean and Hope head to the dad's office. Hope knocks on the door that reads 'Dr. Mason'.

"Dr. Mason?" Dean calls out.

"Yes?" a man, Dr. Mason, answers.

"I'm Hope, this is Dean. We were friends of Angela's, we... we wanted to offer our condolences." She says. As the man greets them at the door.

"Please, come in."

They enter and he closes the door behind them. Sitting down, he shows them a photo album. In the corner of the house, Dean is looking through an old book.

"She was beautiful." Hope says skimming the pages of the photo album.

"Yes, she was." Dr. Mason says.

"This is an unusual book." Dean says from across the room. He shows the cover of the book he's been paging through; it has carvings of Greek letters and a triangular symbol.

"It's ancient Greek; I teach a course." He replies.

"So a car accident, that's, that's horrible." Hope says.

"Angie was only a mile away from home when, uh,"

"It's gotta be hard. Losing someone like that. Sometimes it's like they're still around. Almost like you can still sense their presence." Hope shoots him a weird look, "You ever feel anything like that?"

"I do, as a matter of fact."

Hope glares at Dean and while looking at him says, "That's perfectly normal, Dr. Mason. Especially with what you're going through."

"You know, I still phone her. And the phone's ringing before I remember that, uh... Family's everything, you know? Angie was the most important thing in my life. And now I, I'm just lost without her." He said glancing at the photo album.

"We're very sorry." Hope said.

"Alright dude, what do ya got?" Faith asked as their rental roared down the highway.

Sam skiffs through a stack of papers Ash had given him, "Andrew Gallagher. Born in eighty three, like me. Lost his mother in a nursery fire exactly six months later, also like me."

"You think the demon killed his mom?" Faith asked. When they were at the roadhouse Sam had no choice but to give Faith the 411 on his past, including the death of his mom.

"Sure looks like it."

"How did you even know to look for this guy?" She asked a little concerned.

"Every premonition I've had, if they're not about the demon they're about the other kids the demon visited. Like Max Miller."

"Max Miller?"

"Yeah he was some kid who could move things with his mind, had a bad past, killed a few people he was close too."

"Man that's jacked."

"The point is he was killing people. And I was having the same type of visions about him. And now it could be happening all over again with this Gallagher guy."

"How do we find him?"

"Don't know. No current address, no current employment. He still owes money on all his bills - phone, credit, utilities..."

"Collection agency flags?"

"None in the system."

"They just let him take a walk?"

"Seems like it. There's a work address from his last W-2, about a year ago. Let's start there."

"I'm telling you, there's something going on here, we just haven't found it yet." Dean said as he flipped through his dad's journal.

"Dean, so far you've got a patch of dead grass and nothing." Hope said staring at him.

"Well, something turned that grave into unholy ground." He sighed, "I wish your sister was here."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, she'd be all over this shit."

"Dean just cause she so hunter crazy, like you, doesn't mean there is something here, your reaching man. There's no reason for it to be unholy ground. Angela Mason was a nice girl who died in a car crash, that's not exactly vengeful spirit material. You heard her father."

"Yeah, well, maybe Daddy doesn't know everything there is to know about his little angel, huh?

"You know what? We never should have bothered that poor man. We shouldn't even be here anymore."

"So what, we just bail? Without even figuring out what's going on?" He threw the journal on the bed.

"I think I know what's going on here. It's the only reason I went along with you this far." She sighed, "Sam was right."

"What are you talking about?"

"This is about your Mom's grave."

Dean scoffs, "That's got nothing to do with it."

"You wouldn't step within a hundred yards of it. Look. Maybe you're imagining a hunt where there isn't one so you don't have to think about your Mom. Or your Dad."

He walks over to her "I don't need this crap." He grabs his jacket and keys and starts for the door.

"Dean, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go get a drink. Alone." He yells over his shoulder.

"Great, we haven't even had a first date and we're fighting like we're married." Hope sighs and picks up the phone to call her sister.

"What's up little girl?" Faith says through the phone.

"It's Dean."

"What about him you guys ok?"

"I don't know, I try to get through to him and he just gets mad, he left and went to the bar."

"Man you guys are fighting like your married."

"Right!" Hope sighs, "I just don't know what to do with the guy."

"Hope look, you're not a psychiatrists, you cant save everyone and fix all their problems."

"But-" Faith cuts her off.

"No buts, leave it alone ok, if he wants to talk about it, he will. Trust me, the guys like me, feelings just aren't something we share."

Hope takes in a deep breath, "Ok fine, but if him and I cant get along soon, you two need to hurry your ass up. How's it all going by the way.

"We just got to town, we're gonna go and talk to a few people. Catch ya later alright.

"Yeah alright." She hung up the phone and pondered her thoughts.

Sam and Faith walk into a nearby coffee shop, both of them are wearing suits, "Hey is Andy around?" She asks the waitress.

"Your wasting your time here, you're never going to get anything outta him. They never do" Tracey, the waitress says.

"They"? Faith asks.

"You're debt collectors, right? Once in a while they come by. I don't know what Andy says to them, but they never come back."

"Actually we're, we're lawyers. Representing his Great Aunt Leta. She passed, God rest her soul, and left Andy a sizable estate." Faith says.

"Yeah. So are you a friend of his?" Sam asks.

"I used to be, yeah. I don't see much of Andy anymore."

"Andy? Andy kicks ass, man." A guy said from behind them.

"Is that right?" Faith asked turning to face the guy.

"Yeah. Andy can get you into anything. He even got me backstage at Aerosmith once, it was beautiful, bro."

"How about bussing a table or two, Weber?" Tracey says to the young kid.

"Yeah. You bet, boss." Weber headed for the back.

"Look, if you want to find him, try Orchard Street. Just look for a van with a barbarian queen painted on the side."

"Barbarian queen?" Faith asked.

"She's riding a polar bear. It's kind of hard to miss."

Hope was sitting on the bed channel surfing when Dean opens the door, she shuts off the TV and tosses down the remote.

"Where in the hell were you?" She asks in a stern voice

Dean gives her a weird look, "Okay mom, I was working my imaginary case."

"Yeah? And?

"Well, you were right, I didn't find much." Hope nods, sympathetic at Dean. "Yeah. Except Angela's boyfriend died last night. Slit his own throat. But, you know, that's normal. Uh, let's see, what else. Oh, he was seeing Angela everywhere before he died. But you know, I'm sure that's just me transferring my own feelings."

"Okay, I get it. I'm sorry, maybe there is something going on here."

"Maybe? I know how to do my job, despite what you might think."

"Dean, its not anything like that. Look, I'm sorry I'm nosey and try to fix everyone, can we just forget about last night so we can at least work decently together? We should check out the guy's apartment."

"I just came from there. Pile of dead plants, just like the cemetery. Hell, dead goldfish too." He paused for a moment, "And yes, we can."

"So, unholy ground?" She said.

"Maybe. I'm still not getting that powerful angry spirit vibe from Angela." He walks over across the room and picks up a pink book. "I have been reading this, though."

"You stole the girl's diary?"

"Yeah, and if anything the girl's a little too nice."

"So what do you want to do?" Hope said standing up.

"Keep digging, talk to more of her friends."

"You get any names?"

"Are you kidding me? I have her bestest friend in the whole wide world." Dean grins, pointing to the pink book.

"I didn't realize the college employed grief counselors." Neil said, a good friend of Angela's. Dean and Hope dressed in their best and drove over to his house.

"Oh yeah. Yeah, you talk, we listen. Or maybe throw in a little therapeutic collage, whatever jump-starts the healing." Dean said.

"Well, I think I'm okay. Thanks." Neil said.

"Well, you heard what happened to Matt Harrison, right?" Hope asked.

"Yeah, I did."

"Well, we just wanted to make sure you were okay. Grief can make people do crazy things." She said.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened to him. I am. But if Matt killed himself it wasn't 'cause of grief." They gave him a strange look, "It was guilt. Angie's death was Matt's fault and he knew it.

"How was Matt responsible?" hope asked.

"Well, she really loved that guy. But the night of the accident she walked in on him with another girl. She was really torn up, that's why she crashed the car. Um, look, I gotta get ready for work, so thanks for the concern, but... seriously, I'll be okay." Dean turns and looks significantly at Hope.

Dean and Hope walk out of the house and head for the car, "Well, that vengeful spirit theory's starting to make a little more sense, I mean, hell hath no fury..." Dean said.

"So if Angela got her revenge on Matt, you think it's over?"

"Well, there's one way to be sure."

"Yeah? What's that?" They both get into the car and slam the doors.

"Burn the bones."

"Burn the bones? Are you high?" Dean takes a moment to think about that, "Angela died last week!"

"So?"

"So, there's not gonna be bones. There's gonna be a ripe, rotting body in the coffin."

"Since when are you afraid to get dirty. Huh?"

Hope sat back in her seat and made a disgusted face.

Dean and Hope are almost done digging up the dead girls grave. They are now standing on the coffin and Dean clears the rest of the dirt off and turns to Hope. "Ladies first."

Hope shoots daggers at Dean and shoves her flashlight in his chest, "hold that." She opens the coffin, wincing in preparation. It is empty. They look at each other.

"I'm sorry, I'm starting to like this dude. That van is sweet." Faith looks over at Sam, "What's wrong?" Sam shakes his head, "Sam, you look like you're sucking on a lemon, what's going on?

"This Andrew Gallagher, he's the second guy like this we've found, Dean and I. The demon came to them when they were kids, now they're killing people.

"We don't know what Andrew Gallagher is, all right? He could be innocent."

"My visions haven't been wrong yet."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, I'm one of them."

"No, you're not."

"Faith, the demon said he had plans for me and children like me.

"He did?" She asked confused.

"Yeah, maybe this is his plan, maybe we're all a bunch of psychic freaks, maybe we're all supposed to be —"

Faith Cuts him off, "What, killers?" Sam nods. "So the demon wants you out there killing with your minds, is that it? Come on, give me a break. You're not a murderer, Sam! You don't have it in your bones."

"No? Last I checked, I kill all kinds of things."

"Those things were asking for it. There's a difference." Faith looks out the window, away from Sam. Andy exits a building, wearing pajamas and a long satin robe embroidered with dragons. "Got him", she points out the window and in Andy's direction. A woman in a second-story window waves to Andy, who blows her a kiss. Andy greets a man on the street, who smiles at him and hands Andy his coffee. Further along, Andy greets Dr. Jenndings and shakes his hand.

"That's him. That older guy, that's him, that's the shooter." Sam says sitting up in his seat.

"All right, you keep on him, I'll stick with Andy. Go." Sam gets out of the car and follows Dr. Jennings on foot. Andy gets in his van and drives off, faith following in his car. A few minutes later, Andy stops and gets out of the van, walking back to Faith, who tucks a handgun into her jacket.

"Hey." Andy says, eyeing her car, it was a 1968 dark blue dodge charger.

"Hey." Faith replies.

"This is a cheery ride." He leans in the window and she leans away.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Man, the '68? Chargers best year if you ask me. This is a serious classic. Hey. Can I have it?"

"Sure, man." She gets out of the car, smiling, to let Andy in the driver's side. "Hop right in there. There ya go."

Andy slides in the car and leans out the window, "Take it easy." Andy drives off in the dodge, leaving Faith standing in the street, looking confused.


	10. Simon Says

**Simon Says**

Sam watches Dr. Jennings from a short distance; His cell phone rings, just like in Sam's vision, and he answers it.

"Hello. Yeah." Jennings says.

Sam sees the Blue ridge bus approach, the same bus from his vision, it crosses in front of him heading towards the sporting goods store. He runs into the store looking around. He sees the clerk and bystanders from his vision. He turns and pulls the fire alarm. Jennings approaches the store, but hearing the alarm go off he stops, confused, then turns and walks away.

Sam leaves the store and goes down to the street, where he sees Andy drive by in the Charger. He stares in shock. Meanwhile behind Sam, Jennings gets another phone call, "Hello? Yeah."

Sam flips open his cell phone and calls Faith, "Dude, Andy's got the charger."

"I know! He just sorta asked me for it and I, I let him take it."

"You what?"

"He full-on Obi-Wanned me. It's mind control, man!" Faith yells into the phone.

Sam is about to say something but stops as he sees Jennings, he waits, but to long, he watches in horror as Jennings walks in front of a bus, which slams into him at full speed.

As the Sam and faith walk down the street Sam begins to talk, "I kept him out of the gun store. I thought he was okay. I thought he was past it, at least... I should have stayed with him."

Faith puts her hand on his shoulder as they keep walking, "Well, it looks like he can't work his mojo just by twitching his nose, he's gotta use verbal commands."

"The doctor had just gotten off his cell phone when he stepped in front of that bus. Andy must have called him or something."

"I don't know, maybe." Sam gives her a weird look, "I just don't know if he's our guy, Sam." Sam was giving her that look, "What? He just doesn't seem like the stone-cold killer type, that's all."

"Either way, how are we going to track this guy down?"

"Not a problem."

They wander the streets for a few more minutes and it didn't take long before they see Andy's blue van, "Not exactly an inconspicuous ride. Let's have a look." Faith pulls a small crowbar out of her jacket and pries open the back door. Porn music plays as the interior is revealed: disco ball, fur rugs, a tiger painted on the wall, several thick books, and an enormous bong. "Oh. Oh, come on. This is... this is magnificent, that's what this is. Not exactly a serial killer's lair, though. There's no... clown paintings on the walls, or scissors stuck in victims' photos. I like the tiger." She grins at Sam.

Ignoring the loudness of the van Sam sees some books on the floor, he picks some of them up, "Hegel, Kant, Wittgenstein? That's some pretty heavy reading."

They leave the van and begin walking when they see the Charger sitting in an alley way, lucky for them the keys are in. They get in and take off to a grocery store where Faith runs in and grabs some food. They go and park the car and Faith beings eating something in a foil wrapper as Sam studies a stack of papers.

"Ugh. You know, one day I'd love to just sit down and eat something I didn't have to microwave at a minimart." She tells him.

"What I don't get is the motive. I mean, the doctor was squeaky clean, why would Andy waste him?"

"If it is Andy." Faith said through bites of her food. Sam sighs and dramatically looks at her, "What?"

"The doctor was mind-controlled in front of a bus. Andy just happens to have the power of mind control. You do the math."

"I just don't think the guy's got it in him, that's all."

"Well, how the hell would you know? I mean, why are you bending over backwards defending him?"

"Cause you're not right about this."

"About Andy?" Suddenly Andy appears at Sam's window, slamming his hands down and leaning in.

"Hey! You think I haven't seen you two? Why are you following me?" he asks.

Sam calmly says, "Well, we're lawyers. See, a relative of yours has passed aw-

"Tell the truth!" Andy yells.

"That's what I'm –" Sam begins but Faith cuts him off.

"We hunt demons." Faith says.

"What?" Andy asked confused.

"Faith!" Sam yells.

"Demons and spirits. Things your worst nightmares wouldn't even touch. Sam here, he's my, my, ya know we do things."

"Dude, shut up."

"I'm trying. He's psychic. Kind of like you. Well, not really like you, but see, he thinks you're a murderer, and he's afraid that he's going to become one himself, 'cause you're all part of something that's terrible. And I hope to hell that he's wrong, but I'm starting to get a little scared that he might be right." Faith says quickly

"Okay, you know what? Just leave me alone." Andy says.

"Okay." Faith says and looks away taking a breath.

Andy begins to walk away and Sam gets out of the car following him, "What are you doing? Look, I, I said leave me alone. All right? Get out of here, just start driving and never stop."

"Doesn't seem to work on me, Andy." Sam said and Andy looked confused. "You can make people do things, can't you? You can tell them what to think." Faith gets out of the car and Sam holds up a hand, warning her not to come closer.

"That... that's crazy." Andy said.

"It all started about a year ago, didn't it? After you turned twenty two. Little stuff at first, and then you got better at controlling it."

"How do you know all this?"

Sam walks closer to him, "Because the same thing happened to me, Andy. My mom died in a fire, too. I have abilities too. You see, we're connected, you and me. Why did you tell the doctor to walk in front of a bus?"

Andy looks at him confused, "What?"

Sam cringes and holds his forehead, he gets a vision-flash of fire, and a hand holding a gas pump. He cringes again. The vision continues in pieces as he tries to focus on Andy. "Why did you kill him?"

"I didn't!" Andy yells.

Sam cringes again as the vision hits with full force.

Hope and Dean are still standing in the freshly dug grave staring at the empty coffin, "They buried the body four days ago." Dean says.

"I don't get it." Hope sees something carved into the inside of the coffin, "Wait," she bends down to get a better look. "You seein this?" She points to it.

"What is that?"

"I'm not sure."

"I've seen these kind of symbols before." Dean says. "Come on I think we need to pay the doc a little visit."

They pull up in front of Dr. Masons house and walk up to the door, Dean pounds heavily on the door. He's very agitated.

"Dean. Take it easy, okay?" Hope says to him.

Dr. Mason opens the door and see's Hope and a very pissed off Dean, "You're Angie's friends, right?" he says.

"Dr. Mason..." Hope beings but Dean cut's her off.

"We need to talk." Dean says harshly and shoves his way past him. Hope takes in a deep breath and gives Dr. Mason an apologetic as she follows Dean in, "You teach Ancient Greek. Tell me, what are these?" He shows Dr. Mason the paper on which he's copied the symbols from the grave.

"I don't understand. You said this had something to do with Angela." He gives Dean a strange look.

"It does. Please, just humor me." Dean says.

"They're part of an ancient Greek divination ritual."

"Used for necromancy, right?" Dean says and the Dr. nods his head.

"See, before we came over here we stopped by the library and did a little homework ourselves. Apparently they used rituals like this one for communicating with the dead. Even bringing corpses back to life. Full-on zombie action." Dean said.

"Yes. I mean, according to the legends. Now, what's all this about?" Mason says. Hope watches the Dr.'s face and is having doubts that its him, but Dean keeps pushing.

"I think you know." Dean says taking a step closer to the Dr.

"Dean." Hope says but he just keeps talking.

"Look, I get it. Okay? There are people that I would give anything to see again. But what gives you the right?"

"Dean!" Hope yells again.

"What are you talking about?" The Dr. in a confused voice.

"What's dead should stay dead!" Dean yells stepping even closer to the Dr. Hope grabs his arm to stop him.

"Stop it! Dean take it easy." She tells him.

"What you brought back isn't even your daughter anymore. These things are vicious, they're violent, they're so nasty they rot the ground around them. I mean, come on, haven't you seen Pet Cemetery?"

"You're insane." The Dr. says.

"Where is she?" Dean asks.

"Get out of my house." Mason picks up the phone and starts, Dean pulls away from Hope and knocks it out of his hand.

"I know you're hiding her somewhere. Where is she?!" Dean yells in the Dr.'s face.

"Dean! Stop, that's enough! Dean, look!" Hope grabs Dean's jacket and points to a row of plants by the window. "Beautiful, living plants." She turns back to the Dr. "We're leaving." Hope pulls out of Hope's grip and storms out the door. "Sir, we're sorry. We won't bother you again." She follows Dean out of the house.

Dean walks briskly down the steps and towards the Impala, Hope following him. "What the hell is the matter with you, Dean?"

"Back off."

Hope quickens her pace to catch up to Dean, you can see the rage building up behind her eyes. She has had just about enough of his shit and this tough guy attitude. She grabs his arm spinning him around to face her, he gives her a confused look. "That man is innocent! He didn't deserve that!"

"Okay, so she's not here, maybe he's keeping her somewhere else."

"Stop it! That's enough, okay? Enough!"

"I know what I'm doing."

"No, you don't. At all. Dean, I don't scare easy, but you're scaring the crap out of me."

"Don't be overdramatic."

"You're lucky this turned out to be a real case. Because if it wasn't you would have just found something else to kill."

"Wha-"

"You're on edge, you're erratic - except for when you're hunting, because then you're downright scary. You're tail spinning, and you refuse to talk about it and you won't let me help you."

"I can take care of myself, thanks."

"No, you can't. And you know what? You're the only one who thinks you should have to. You don't have to handle this on your own, Dean, no one can."

"If you bring up my Dad's death one more time I swear..." he turns to walk away.

"What? You'll deck me one?" She grabs his arm spins him around and gives him a right hook to the face. "Stop. Dean, it's killing you. You have lost your dad, and your mom and now Sam is going to lose you too. Get it together, if not for yourself but for your brother as well."

Dean looks down at her, stunned that she just punched him in the face. In a calm voice he says, "We better get out of here before the cops come. I hear you. Okay? Yeah, I'm being an ass. I'm sorry. But right now we've got a friggin' zombie running around, and we need to figure out how to kill it." Hope laughs a little, "Right?"

"Our lives are weird."

"You're telling me? Come on little girl." He puts his arm around her shoulder and they head for the car. They get in and Dean fires up the engine and they take off.

"Look I'm sorry about punching you, I just, I don't know, Faith can sometimes come out in me."

"Nah, I deserved it. I don't talk about things, I don't share my feelings like Sam does."

"Its killing him you know, he hates not being able to help you. I can see it."

"I'm just trying to handle this on my own ya know. I don't want to drag Sam into it.

"But he's already into it, he lost the same people you did. Dean look, if you cant talk to Sam about it, then you need to talk to someone about it. You cant hold it inside forever."

"I know, but for now can we just solve this case. Once its over I'll let you go all 'Now how do you feel about that' on me."

She grinned at him, "Ok, I can work with that.

Dean is pacing around the hotel room while Hope is sitting on the bed with John's journal.

"We can't just waste it with a head shot?"

"Dude. You've been watching way too many Romero flicks." She says glancing up at him. "Dean stop pacing."

He flops down on the bed next to her, "You're telling me there's no lore on how to smoke 'em."

"No, Dean, I'm telling you there's too much. I mean, there's a hundred different legends on the walking dead, but they all have different methods for killing them." She moves closer to him and shows him the page she is looking at, "Some say setting them on fire, uh, one said, where is it? Right here. Feeding their hearts to wild dogs. That's my personal favorite. I mean, who knows what's real and what's myth?"

"Is there anything they all have in common?"

"No. But a few said silver might work."

"Silver's a start."

"Yeah. But now how are we going to find Angela?"

"We've got to figure out the person who brought her back."

"Any ideas?"

"I think if it's not her dad it might be that guy Neil." Dean stands and crosses the room to pick up the pink diary.

"How'd you come up with that?"

"Well, you've got your journal, I've got mine." He opens the book and begins to read, "Neil's a real shoulder to cry on, he so understands what I'm going through with Matt." There's more in here where that came from, it's got Unrequited Ducky Love written all over it."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he brought her back from the dead."

"Hmm. Did I mention he's Professor Mason's TA? Has access to all the same books."

"You may be on to something."

"To Neil's house we go." Dean said grabbing his keys.

Dean and Hope break into Neil's house, its dark and quite inside. "Hello? Neil?! It's your grief counselors, we've come to hug." Dean says as he pulls out his gun that's filled with silver bullets. They start stalking through the house, Dean in the lead with the gun out. They see wilted plants by a window. They find the entrance to the basement and Dean nods at it. "Unless it's where he keeps his porn..." Hope opens the door and Dean leads the way down the stairs to a room with a bed and some blankets, but no dead girl.

"Sure looks like a zombie's den to me." Dean says.

"Yeah. An empty one. You think Angela's going after somebody?"

Dean sees an open window and points to it, "Nah, I think she went out to rent Beaches."

"Look, smartass, she might kill someone. We gotta find her."

"Yeah. All right, she, uh, she clipped Matt because he was cheating, right? Well, it takes two to, you know, have hardcore sex." He winks at Hope and she blushes, "I don't know, it just seemed that, uh, Angela's roommate was broken up over Matt's death. I mean, like, really broken up."

They pull up to Lindsey's house, Angela's old roommate, and they hear screaming, they run inside and see Angela about to stab Lindsey with scissors. Several shots are fired right into Angela and she convulses. She turns around to see Dean and Hope. Dean fires the gun again, right in Angela's chest. She screams and bolts out the window; and Dean follow her. Hope runs over to a terrified Lindsey.

Dean comes back around the corner, "Damn, that dead chick can run."

"What now?"

"I say we go have a little chat with Neil."

Sam puts his hands on his head and starts to fall, Faith runs over to him and catches him, lowering him gently to the ground. "Sam! What is it?"

"A woman. A woman burning alive."

"What else'd you get?" She asked him.

"A gas station, a woman is gonna kill herself."

"What does he mean, going to? What is he, what is –" Andy began in a terrified voice.

"Shut up!" faith tells Andy.

"She gets triggered by a call on her cell. I don't know when." Faith helps him to his feet, "But as long as we keep our eyes on this son of a bitch he can't hurt her."

"I didn't hurt anybody." Andy pleads.

A fire engine roars past, sirens blaring. They turn to watch it. Sam nods at Faith to go after it. She runs off to follow the siren and Andy tries to step past Sam, who stops him with a hand on his chest.

"No, not you. You're staying here with me." Sam tells him.

Faith is standing just outside of range from the fire that is burning down the gas station, she picks up her phone and calls Sam, :Hey, it's me. She's dead. Burned up, just like you said."

"When?"

"Like minutes before I got here, I mean the smell hasn't even cleared. What's up with your visions, man? This wasn't even a head start."

"I don't know, all right? I can't control them, I don't know what the hell is going on."

"Listen, you were with Andy when this whole thing went down, so it, it can't be him, it's gotta be somebody else doing this."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"What else is new? Well, I'll dig around here, see what else I can find."

Sam and Andy are sitting in an abandon truck waiting for Faith to come back. They talk about Sam's visions and Andy's mind control and just about life in general. Sam comes to the decision that Andy is not a killer, just a guy living the dream. Faith pulls up and gets out the car and heads over to the two boys.

"Victim's name was Holly Becket, forty one, single." Sam looks to Andy and he shakes his head, not recognizing the name, "Called Ash on the way over here, he came up with a little something. Apparently Holly Becket gave birth when she was eighteen years old, back in 1983. Same day you were born, Andy."

"You were adopted?" Sam asked Andy and he nods his head.

"You were? And you neglected to mention that?" Faith said.

"Never really came up. I mean, I, I never knew my birth parents, and, and like you said my adopted mom died when I was a baby - do you, do you think this Holly woman could actually be my m-"

"I don't know. I tried to get a copy of the birth records, but they're hard copy only, sealed in the county office." Faith said.

"Well, screw that." Andy said.

Andy uses his mojo on the sercurity guard and Sam and Faith skim through old records. They find out that Holly was Andy's mom and Dr. Jennings was her Dr.

"Hey wait a sec, Sam look at this." Faith shows him a piece of paper, "Looks like Holly gave birth to twins. Andy sits with both hands on his head, staring straight ahead in shock.

"I have an evil twin." He says in shock.

"Holly put you and your brother up for adoption. And you went to the Gallagher family, obviously, and your brother went to the Weems family from upstate." Sam says.

"Andy, how you doin'? Still with us?" Faith asks him.

Andy nods, "What was my brother's name?"

"Here. Um, Ansen Weems. He's got a local address." Sam says.

"Well that makes it easy. Let's get a look at him. Got his picture coming off from the DMV right now."

Faith pulls some papers out of the printer and looks at them in surprise. "Hate to kick you while you're freaked. Take a look at that." She shows one of the pages to Andy, who looks up in shock. It's Weber the kid from the coffee shop.

Faith is driving down the dark road with Sam next to her and Andy in the back seat. Andy tells them everything he knows about Weber. Like how he should up eight months ago out of the blue and tried to be Andy's best friend, like he was trying to hard. Sam cringes a little and rubs his eyes.

"Must have known you guys were twins. Why did he change his name? Why not just tell you the truth?" Faith asked. Sam lets out a little moan and puts his hands on his head, "Sam you ok?"

His vision kicks in and his nose starts to bleed.

"Sam talk to me." Faith says.

Sam yells in panic, and starts struggling with the door. She stops the car as Sam shoves the door open, leaning out. Faith gets out and runs around the car to kneel beside him, grabbing his shoulders.

"Hey. Hey!" She says to him and puts her hands on the sides of his face. "Sammy, look at me."

He takes in a breath and his eyes meet hers. "It's Tracey, Weber has her on the bridge just outside of town. Faith he's gonna kill her."

"Alright, just calm down. You good?" he nods his head. "Ok then, let's get to that bridge. Near the bridge, the charger pulls to a stop. Sam and Faith get out and circle around to the trunk, which Faith opens.

"You should stay back." Sam tells her.

"No argument here. Had my head screwed with enough for one day."

Sam pulls out two handguns; as he walks forward he's stopped by Andy, who has gotten out of the car.

"I'm coming with you." Andy tells him. Sam shakes his head "It's Tracy out there, and I'm coming."

Sam creeps up to the car and Weber is facing Tracey in the front seat. The window behind Weber's head shatters, and Sam shoves a handgun in his face. "Get out of the car! Now!"

"You really don't want to do this." Weber tells say.

Sam backhands him, hard. On the other side of the car, Andy opens the door and pulls Tracey out.

"Tracy! Come here, come here, come here. It's okay." He tells her.

"I can't control myself." She says in panic.

Sam opens Weber's door and pulls him out of the car. He pins him facedown over the pavement with the gun aimed at his head. "Don't move. Don't move!" Andy runs over to them and shoves a strip of duct tape over Weber's mouth. He rears back and kicks Weber twice, furious. Sam pushes him back.

"No! No, Andy, let me handle this, all right?"

Dean and Hope are riding in the Impala, Hope skimming the journal, "Um, okay, besides silver we have nailing the undead back into their gravebeds. It's mentioned a few times. It's probably where the whole vampire staking lore comes from." She said.

"Are you serious? And how the hell are we going to get Angela back to the cemetery?"

Hope sits and thinks about it for a moment, "I have an idea, go back to the school."

"Why?"

"Just do it, trust me."

Dean pulls the car over and turns around heading back to the school.

Neil is sitting alone in his dark office when Hope and Dean enter, "What are you guys doing here?"

"You know, I've heard of people doing some pretty desperate things to get laid, but you - you take the cake. Where is Angela anyways?" Dean says and Neil looks at him scared and confused.

"We know what you did. The ritual? Everything." Hope says.

"You're crazy." Neil said.

"Your girlfriend's past her expiration date and we're crazy? When someone's gone they should stay gone. You don't mess with that kind of stuff." Dean says.

"Angela killed Matt. She tried to kill Lindsey." Hope tried to reason with him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Neil says, Dean stomps over to the other side of the desk and hauls him up by the collar.

"Hey! No more crap, Neil. This blood is on your hands. Now. Me and her can make this right, but you've gotta tell us where she is. Tell us!"

"My house. She's at my house." Neil says and Dean lets him go, then sees several potted plants by the window. They're dead. He looks at Neil.

"You sure about that?" Dean says, Neil nods, looking around nervously. Dean looks past him to see a closet. He raises his voice slightly.

"Listen. It doesn't really matter where she is. There's only one way to stop her. We've got to perform another ritual over her grave, to reverse the one that you did. We're going to need some black root, some, some scar weed, some candles... It's very complicated, but it'll get the job done. She'll be dead again in a couple hours. I think you should come with us." He leans in closer to Neil, knowing that Angela is in the room, "I'm serious, Neil. Leave with us. Right now."

"No. No." he begins to sweat.

Dean lowers his voice, "Listen to me. Get out of here as soon as you can. But most of all, be cool. No sudden movements. Don't make her mad." He turns to Hope, "Let's go."

"You really think this is going to work?" Hope asked looking at Dean.

"No, not really. But it was the only thing I could come up with."

They hear a noise, and nod to each other. Hope stands and pulls a gun from the small of her back. She stalks in the direction of the sound. Some distance away, she freezes, hearing something behind her. She turns, and points the gun at Angela.

"Wait! It's not what you think. I didn't ask to be brought back. But it's still me. I'm still a person. Please." She begs Hope.

Hope fires the gun, hitting her square in the forehead. She screams, her head snapping back. Then Hope bolts back towards the grave. Angela tackles her, and she lands hard on the ground; Angela twists her head back. Dean fires at her, startling her back to standing. He shoots her several more times until she falls straight back into the open grave, landing in the empty coffin. Dean grabs a long metal stake and runs to the grave, sliding the last length on his knees and diving into the coffin. He buries the stake in her chest, pinning her in. She screams, then goes limp. Dean pulls back, panting. "What's dead should stay dead." He says.

Dean and Hope finish filling in her grave and Hope leans against her shovel "Rest in peace."

"Yeah. For good this time, okay?"

They turn away, heading for the car. Hope grunts as she lifts the shovel over one shoulder. "You know, that whole fake ritual thing, luring Angela into the cemetery? Pretty sharp."

"Thanks."

"But did we have to use me as bait, I think she broke my hand."

Dean laughed a little, "You're just too fragile. We'll get it looked." Dean stops and turns back to Mary's grave, pausing.

Hope follows his gaze, "You want to stay for a while?"

He shakes his head and they head for the car, dropping their things in the trunk of the car and getting in, Dean in the driver's side. They pull out of town.

Driving along, Dean is scowling. Hope looks at him, concerned. Dean pulls the car across the road to stop on the opposite shoulder. He gets out and sits on the hood. Hope follows.

"Dean, what is it?" She asks.

"I'm sorry."

"You - for what?"

"The way I've been acting."

Hope crosses to sit on the hood, close to Dean but not touching him.

"I'm sorry to Sam too, dad was his dad too and its my fault he's gone."

Hope looks at him crossing her arms, "What are you talking about?"

"I know you've been thinking it, I can tell- so have I. Doesn't take a genius to figure it out. Back at the hospital, I made a full recovery. It was a miracle. And five minutes later our Dad's dead and the Colt's gone."

Hope takes in a deep breath, knowing the truth, "Dean."

"You can't tell me there's not a connection there. I don't know how the demon was involved; I don't know how the whole thing went down exactly. But my Dad's dead because of me. And that much I do know."

She bit her lower lip, trying hard not to tell Dean the truth, "We don't know that. Not for sure."

"Hope." He starts to cry, trying hard not to, especially in front of her. "Sam and Dad... they're the most important people in my life. And now... I never should have come back, Hope. It wasn't natural. And now look what's come of it. I was dead. And I should have stayed dead. You wanted to know how I was feeling. Well, that's it." Dean searches her face, "So tell me. What could you possibly say to make that all right?

She gets off the hood of the car and stands in front of him, "Dean, your dad loved you, more than I think you know. I know its hard dealing, trust me I do. Parents are supposed to protect their children, and that's exactly what your dad did for you. You were not meant to die, everything happens for a reason."

He looked up at her, tears still filled his eyes. He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into him. She resisted at first, but wrapped her arms around him in an embracing hug. "You don't just have Sam anymore, you have Faith, and you have me."

He gently pulled away from her so he could look at her. He didn't say anything he just looked at her. She began to get a little nervous and her heart started racing. He reached up and moved her hair out of her face. He leaned up to her and kissed her, everything inside of her told her to let go, to embrace him, to stop worrying about getting hurt.

The kiss last a few minutes before Dean pulled away from her, he looked at the ground, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

She smiled biting her lower lip, "No, I'm glad you did."

He smiled at her, "Let's hit the road."

"I'll kill you!" Andy yelled at Weber.

"Andy! Listen to me! Listen to me!" Sam yelled at him.

Weber stares at Tracey, who picks up a large stick and hits Sam on the back of the neck with it. He goes down, unconscious. Andy turns to her as Weber stands up.

"Tracy, stop! I said STOP IT!" Andy yells. She drops the stick and backs away, terrified. Andy turns back to Weber, who pulls the duct tape off his mouth.

"How did you do that?"

"Practice, bro. If you'd just practice, you would know. Sometimes you don't need to use your words. If you have to," He taps his forehead. "All you need is this. Sometimes the headache's worth it."

Andy grabs Weber, "You're a twisted son of a bitch!"

"Back off, Andy. Or Tracy's gonna do a little flying." He points to Tracy, Andy turns and sees her standing on the ledge of the bridge. "Aren't you, Trace?" Weber turns back to Andy "I'm stronger than you. I can do it."

"Okay, okay. Okay. All right, just... just please don't hurt her."

"Don't be mad at me, okay? I know, it's, it's all wrong. I didn't mean for this to happen, it's just... Tracy? She's trying to come between us."

"You're insane. You know what your more than insane, your just plain stupid! I mean, you, you learn you've got a twin..." Sam starts coming too, "... you call him up, you go out for a drink, you don't start killing people!"

"I've wanted to tell you for so long, bro. But he didn't let me. He said I had to wait until the time was..." Weber begins.

"Who?" Andy asked.

"The man with the yellow eyes."

"What are you talking about?"

"He came to me. In my dream. He said I was special. He told me he's got big plans for me. Wait 'till you see what's in store, Andy, for both of us! See, he's the one who told me I had a brother. A twin."

Within shooting distance faith stalks with a sniper rifle and sets up shop. She crouches in the shadows and lines up the shot.

Weber hears something and turns in Faith's direction. "I see you. Bye-bye." Faith turns the rifle up and tucks the barrel under her chin. A gunshot goes off and Weber starts who convulsing; Andy has shot him in the back. Weber falls and Andy lowers the gun, shaking.

The police show up and Andy explains the whole thing, "You all saw him shoot himself right?" He says to the cops and they all nod their heads. Andy heads over to Sam and Faith.

"Hey, Andy, I hate to do this, but um, we have to get out of here. I wrote down my cell. You don't have to be alone in this, all right? If anything comes up, just call me." Sam tells him.

"Wha- what am I supposed to do now?" Andy asks confused.

"You be good, Andy. Or we'll be back." Faith tells him.

They head back to the charger, "Looks like I was right." Sam says. Faith gives him a strange look, "Andy. He's a killer after all."

"No, he's a hero. He saved his girlfriend's life, he saved my life." Faith says in defense.

"Bottom line, he wasted somebody."

"Yeah, but he's not a foaming-at-the-mouth psycho. He was just, he was pushed into that." They arrive at the car.

"Weber was pushed too, in his own way. Max Miller was pushed. Hell, I was pushed by Jessica's death."

"What's your point, Sam?" Faith asks putting her elbows on the roof of the car.

"Right circumstances, everyone's capable of murder. Everyone. You know, maybe that's what the demon's doing. Pushing us. Finding ways to break us."

"Sam, we don't know what the demon wants, okay? Quit worrying about it." She opened the car door and got in. Sam paused for a moment before doing the sam.

"You know, I heard you before, when Andy made you tell the truth. You're just as scared of this as I am."

"That was mind control! I mean, it's like, that's like being roofied, man, that doesn't count."

"What?"

"No. I'm, I'm calling do-over." She says as she starts up the car.

"What are you, seven?" Sam laughs and Faith glares at him.

"Shut up."

Sam slides closer to her and she moves away with a weird look on her face, "What the hell are you doing?"

He grins at her and moves his hand to her cheek, she's not quite sure how to react.

"Just trust me ok."

She takes in a breath, "Trusting people isn't something I'm good at." Without saying another word he leans in a kisses her. Everything inside of her is telling her to run away and never look back, telling her he will hurt her. But for some reason she gives into him.

Things got a little heated in the charger, before she knew it her shirt was off, his shirt was off…and then the phone rang. Saved by the bell.

Faith sat up fast and searched for her phone. "Hello?" She said a little out of breath.

"What were you running or something?" Dean says, he can hear Sam whispering something. "Are you two…really guys?"

"What do you want Dean?"

"Case closed, and by the sounds of things I'm going to assume yours is too?"

She pushes Sam off her, as he is making it hard to concentrate. "Yeah whats up?"

"Ellen called, meet us at the roadhouse."

"Sure thing." She flips the phone shut and puts her shirt back on, "Play times over, looks like we're headed to the road house.

The Impala and Charger pulled into the dirt parking lot at the same time and all four of them got out, Dean and Hope holding hands. Faith had to take a second glance, she grinned.

They all sit down at the bar.

"Jo?" Ellen says. Jo turns and looks at her mom. "Go pull up another case of beer."

"Mom…"

"Now. Please." As JO leaves, Ellen leans on the bar in front of the four, she turns her attention to Sam and Faith. "So. You uh, you want to tell me about this last hunt of yours?"

"No. Not really. No offense, it's just kind of a family thing." Dean says, Faith and Sam had filled them in on their last venture.

Ellen glances at the two girls, "And their family?"

"Look Ellen its nothing personal, their involved is all." Sam says.

"Yeah well its not family think anymore." She drops a stack of papers on the table. "I got this stuff from Ash. Andrew Gallagher's house burnt down on his six month birthday, just like your house. You think it was the demon both times, don't you? You think it went after Gallagher's family?"

"Yeah, we think so." Sam says.

"Sam..." Dean and Faith say at the same time.

"Why?" Ellen asks.

"None of your business." Dean says.

"You mind your tongue with me, boy. This isn't just your war, this is our war too. Now, something big and bad is coming and it's coming fast, and their side holds all the cards. Now, at best all we got is us. Together. No secrets or half-truths here."

"There are people out there, like Andy Gallagher, like me. And um, we all have some kind of ability."

"Ability?" Ellen asks confused.

Dean and Faith roll their eyes, uncomfortable with telling them things. Dean was already pissed at Sam for telling Faith and Hope the truth, but they didn't have much of a choice anymore. "Yeah. Psychic ability. Me, I have, um, I have visions. Premonitions. I don't know, it's different for everybody. The demon said he had plans for people like us."

"These people out there, these psychics. Are they dangerous?"

"No. Not all of them." Faith says.

"But some are. Some are very dangerous." Hope chims in.

"Okay, how many of them are we looking at?"

"We've been able to track a clear pattern so far. They've all had house fires on the night of the kid's six month birthday." Dean says.

"Wait no, that's not true, Weber? Or Ansen Weems, or whatever his name is, I looked at his files, and there was no house fire. Nothing out of the ordinary." Sam says.

"Which breaks pattern. So if there's any others like him, there'd be nothing in the system. No way to track 'em all down." Hope says

"And so who knows how many of 'em are really out there?" Dean says.

"Jo honey?" Ellen says, Jo turns her attention to her mom. "You'd better break out the whiskey instead."


	11. Crossroad Blues

**Crossroad Blues**

The four of them stood outside the roadhouse, they had just come back from a hunt that Jo was on too. Her mother had no idea she had left but found out, they could hear screaming coming from inside the roadhouse. Ellen was furious with Sam and Dean mostly. Jo stormed out of the bar, glanced at Dean and walked away crossing her arms.

"That bad, huh?" Dean asked walking over to her.

"Not right now."

"What happened? Hey, talk to me." He said, as he reached and grabbed her arm, he thought of Jo like his little sister and wanted to make sure she was ok.

"Get off me!" She yelled and pulled away from him.

"Sorry. See you around." He turned to head back to the Impala.

"Dean. It turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt. Funny, he usually worked alone; this guy did too, but... I guess my father figured he could trust him. Mistake. Guy screwed up, got my dad killed." Jo said.

"What does this have to do with—"

"It was your father, Dean."

"What?" Dean asked confused.

"Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us? Because he couldn't look my mom in the eye after that, that's why."

"Jo."

"Just... just get out of here. Please, just leave. Like father like son huh? Using me as bait."

Dean started to say something but just stood there for a moment. Faith took off her jacket, furious, and stormed in Jo's direction.

"Dean stop her!" Hope yelled.

Dean turned around and grabbed Faith by the arms, "You stupid bitch!" She yelled at Jo. Jo looked at her, stunned. "I can't believe you have the nerve."

"What are you talking about." Jo said.

"Dean let me go!" Faith yelled at Dean, she was ready to go ghetto on Jo's ass. He gripped her tighter. "You knew what you were getting into, it's the job! If the bad things under the bed are after a pretty blond girl, then you play the bait! It was your choice! You're the one who tagged along." She quickly slithered through Dean's grip and pushed Jo up against the wall of the roadhouse. "How dare you." Just then Ellen ran out of the bar and over to Faith and Jo.

"You let go of her." Ellen said.

Faith glared at Ellen, and harshly took her hands off of Jo, "What she just said, that's bull shit Ellen and you know it. Shit happens, the people we love die, you can't blame these boys for their fathers mistake. Times like this, you really think the best thing to do is turn our backs on each other?" Faith fixed Jo's jacket, "Listen, we have all lost someone, your young; this world is new to you. But the past can't be changed and you can't blame these two for the death of your father."

Jo took in a deep breath and to Faith's surprise Jo hugged her. Faith hesitated before hugging her back. "I'm sorry." She said pulling away from Faith. She looked over to Dean and Sam, "I really am sorry."

"You hang in there, and try not to kill your mother with worry ok." Faith told Jo. "Look Ellen…"

"Don't say a word. It's hard letting go of the past, it's hard to not think of what could happen. I'm a mother, just be careful out there."

Faith nodded and headed back over to the car, she gave Dean a friendly punch on the arm, "What, did you think I was gonna kill her?"

"Dude, you full on hulked out." Dean said with a laugh.

"Not gonna lie, I thought you were going to kill her. Nobody's safe when you take the jacket off." Hope said with a grin.

"Shut up and get in the car."

Faith and Hope are sitting at a diner, Hope on her laptop and Faith enjoying a greasy hamburger. "Oh my god." Hope said.

"What is it?"

"Look at this." She turns her laptop around on the table and shows Faith, onscreen is a mug shot of Dean from the St. Louis Police Department. "So much for our low profile. He's got a warrant in St. Louis, and now he's officially in the Fed's database." She rolls her eyes turning the laptop back to her. "I swear we let these boys go off on ONE hunt alone and just look what happens."

A week prior Sam and Dean had gone off on their own and got mixed up with law and a dirty cop.

"Dude, he's like Dillinger or something." Faith said with a grin, just then the boys walked in and took a seat in the booth.

"Dean, look at this." She show him the picture and he laughs, "It's not funny. Makes the job harder, we've gotta be more careful now."

He puts his arm around her, "What do they got on Sammy?"

She frowns, "I'm sure they just haven't posted it yet."

"No accessory? Nothing?" He laughs.

"Shut up Dean." Sam says from across the table.

"You're jealous." Faith says with a grin.

"No, I'm not!"

"Uh-huh. All right. What do you got on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man, you?" Dean says with a smile.

Sam pouts for a second before taking out some papers from his pocket and flopping them down on the table. "Architect Sean Boyden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home, a condominium he designed."

"Hmm. Build a high-rise and jump off the top of it. That's classy. When did he call animal control?" Faith asked.

"Two days earlier."

"Did he actually say Black Dog?" Faith asked.

"Yeah. A vicious, wild, black dog. The authorities couldn't find it, no one else saw it; in fact, the authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator up and start roaming the halls of the cushiest joint in town. After that, no more calls, he doesn't show up for work, two days later he takes a swan dive." Sam explains.

"Do you think we're dealing with an actual Black Dog?" Hope asks.

"Well, maybe." Sam says.

"What's the lore on it?" Dean asks.

Sam passes the pages to Dean, "It's all pretty vague. I mean, there are spectral black dogs all over the world, but... some say they're animal spirits, others say death omens. But anyways, whatever they are, they're big, nasty."

"Yeah, I bet they could hump the crap outta your leg, look at that one, huh?" He holds up a picture and smirks; Sam glares; the smirk slips. "What? They could."

Dean walks out of the animal control center and slides in the car, Hope and Sam in the backseat, Faith in the front looking through some research papers of Sam's.

"So what did you find out?" Sam asked.

"Secretary's name is Carly. She's twenty three, she, uh, kayaks, and they're real." Dean says with a grin, his grin quickly fades when he sees Hope glaring at him in the review.

"You didn't happen to ask her if she's seen any black dogs lately, did you?" Hope said.

Dean holds up a piece of paper, "Every complaint called in this week about anything big, black, or dog-like. There's nineteen calls in all. And, uh," He pulls off a post it and hands it to Hope, "I don't know what this thing is."

Hope laughs and shows it to Sam who laughs as well, "You mean Carly's MySpace address?"

"Yeah, MySpace, what the hell is that?" He looks to Faith for an answer and she shakes her head. Sam and Hope laugh again.

"Maybe it's her porn site." Faith says.

"It's a social networking site you simpletons." Hope says.

Faith and Hope pull up to a woman's house and knock on the door. A woman opens it to find Hope and Faith in suits.

"Afternoon, ma'am." Faith says pulling out an ID, "Uh, Animal Control."

"Oh, someone already came yesterday." The woman sas.

"Oh, we're just following up. We're looking for Dr. Sylvia Pearlman?" Hope says.

The woman waves them in, "The Doctor, well, she, I don't know exactly when she'll be back, she left two days ago."

"Okay. And you are...?" Hope asks.

"I'm Ms. Pearlman's maid…Alyssa."

"So where did the Doctor go?" Faith asked.

"I'm not sure. She just packed and went, she didn't say where. That stray dog, did you find it finally?"

"Oh, not yet. You know, you didn't ever happen to see the dog yourself, did you?" Hope asked.

"Well, no. I never even heard it." Behind the woman Faith takes a photograph off the wall: it shows the doctor at a bar with two friends. Alyssa continues, "I was almost starting to think the Doctor was imagining things, but she's not like that, so...

"Hey, you know I read she was, uh chief surgeon at the hospital. She's gotta be what, forty two, forty three? That's pretty young for that job." Faith says over her shoulder.

"Youngest in the history of the place. She got the position... ten years ago?"

"An overnight success. Ten years ago." Hope says glancing at Faith. The boys had interviewed a man earlier, his success started ten years ago.

"Yeah, we know a guy like that. Oh, look at this." She holds up the photo, flips it over to show writing on the back that reads Lloyd's Bar."

The girls head back to the hotel and get the boys, they head out to Lloyd's bar, they pull up outside and get out. As they walk towards the bar, Dean notices some yellow flowers growing by the side of the road. He stops.

"Hey, That's weird." He says. "Think someone planted these?" he points to the flowers.

"Middle of all these weeds?" Sam asks.

"They are Yarrow flowers, used for certain rituals, like summoning rituals." Faith said

"So, two people become sudden successes about ten years ago. Right around the time they were hanging out here at Lloyd's." Sam says.

"Yeah where there just happens to be a crossroads." Hope says noticing it.

Dean walks to the center of the crossroads and looks around, measuring. "This seem about the dead center to you?" He digs a few inches into the hard soil and hits something solid. He stops. "Yahtzee." He pulls out an old rusted box. He opens it. It contains, among other things, several small bones and a small stoppered jar that Sam takes out.

"I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt. And a black cat bone." Sam said.

"That's serious spell work. I mean, that's Deep South Hoodoo stuff." Faith says

"Used to summon a demon." Hope says.

"Not just summon one. Crossroads are where pacts are made. These people are actually making deals with the damn thing. You know, 'cause that always ends good." Dean says.

"They're seeing dogs, all right. But not Black Dogs, they're seeing Hellhounds. Demonic pit bulls." Faith says

"Yeah, whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady? Wherever she's running? She ain't running fast enough." Hope says.

"So it's just like the Robert Johnson legend, right? I mean, selling your soul at the crossroads, kind of deal?" Sam says.

"Yeah, except that wasn't a legend. I mean, you know his music." Sam and Hope look at each other than back to Dean.

"You don't know Robert Johnson's songs? Come on, there's, there's occult references all over his lyrics, I mean, Crossroad Blues? Me And The Devil Blues? Hellhound On My Trail? The story goes, he died choking on his own blood, he was hallucinating, and muttering about big evil dogs." Faith says.

"We've gotta figure out if anyone else struck any bargains around here." Hope says.

"Great. So we've gotta clean up these peoples' mess for 'em? I mean, they're not exactly squeaky clean. Nobody put a gun to their head and forced 'em to play Let's Make A Deal." Faith says.

"So what, we should just leave them to die?" Sam says.

"Somebody goes over Niagara in a barrel, you gonna jump in and try to save 'em?" Faith says.

"Faith." Hope says.

"All right. Fine. Rituals like this, you've got to put your own photo into the mix, right? So this guy probably summoned this thing, let's go and see if anyone inside knows him. If he's still alive." Faith says.

Sam and Hope are walking up a wide set of stairs, "What's this guy's name again?" She asks.

"George Darrow. Apparently quite the regular at Lloyd's" Sam says. He looks at the house, its normal, Sam could probably afford to buy it. "That seem weird to you."

"I'm guessing whatever kind of deal he made, wasn't for cash." They reach the landing and stop in front of apartment 4C. The floor is dusted with a fine black powder. "Look at that." Hope says. They crouch down thumbing through it.

"What is that, pepper?" Sam asks. The door opens to reveal George - a middle-aged man with graying hair, wearing a grimy t-shirt and open button-down.

"Who the hell are you?" He says.

"George Darrow?" Sam asks.

"I'm not buying anything."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, looks like you went for the wrong shaker there. Heh. Usually when you want to keep something evil out you go for the salt." Sam says. George gives him a weird look, "Talkin' about this." He holds up the small picture, "Tell me. You seen that Hellhound yet?"

"Look. We want to help. Please. Just five minutes." Hope says.

They enter his house that is full of paintings, They explain who they are and what they dp. The old man doesn't want help, he just wants to be left alone to die. He gives them a name, Evan Hudson, he too made a deal.

The Dean and Faith approach Evan's front door. Dean knocks. A moment later, Evan opens the door.

"Evan Hudson?" Faith asks.

"You ever been to a bar called Lloyd's? Would have been about ten years ago." Dean says. Terrified, Evan slams the door and latches it. "Come on, we're not demons!"

"Any other bright ideas?" She asks.

Dean steps back, sets himself, then kicks the door down in one go. They enter. Outside the back room Evan has just entered, Dean prepares to kick down that door too. Faith catches his leg, stopping him.

"Wait." Faith turns the handle and pushes the door open gently. The room is quiet as they enter. "Evan?"

Evan jumps out from behind a bookshelf. "Please! Don't hurt me."

"We're not going to hurt you, all right? We're here to help you." Dean says.

"We know all about the genius deal you made." Faith says.

"What? How?"

"Doesn't matter. All that matters is, we're trying to stop it." Faith says.

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Well, you don't, but you're kinda running low on options there, buddy-boy." Dean says.

Evan swallows hard and starts pacing, "Can you stop it?"

"Don't know. We'll try." Faith says.

"I don't want to die."

"Of course you don't, not now." Dean says. "What'd you ask for anyway, Evan? Huh? Never need Viagra? Bowl a perfect game? What?"

"My wife."

Dean and Faith laugh, they really weren't good together, there had to be someone in the room who was sympathetic. "Right. Gettin' the girl. Well, that's worth a trip to hell for."

Faith elbows Dean, "Come Dean give the guy break."

"No. He's right, I made the deal. Nobody twisted my arm, that... woman, or whatever she was, at the bar? She said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts at first, but... I don't know how to— I was desperate."

"Desperate?" Faith says.

"Julie was dying."

"You did it to save her?" Dean says.

"She had cancer, they'd stopped treatment, they were moving her into hospice, they kept saying... a matter of days. So yeah, I made the deal. And I'd do it again. I'd have died for her on the spot."

"Did you ever think about her in all this?" Dean says.

"I did this for her."

Dean advances on him, "You sure about that? I think you did it for yourself. So you wouldn't have to live without her. But guess what? She's going to have to live without you now. But what if she knew how much it cost? What if she knew it cost your soul? How do you think she'd feel?

Faith steps forward putting her hands on Dean's chest, "Okay, that's enough. You just sit tight, all right? We're going to figure this out." She and Dean head out in the hallway, "You all right?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be? Hey, I got an idea." He pulls out some goofer dust, the old man George had given it to Sam and Hope. "You throw George's hoodoo at that Hellhound, keep it away from Evan as long as you can. I'm gonna go to the crossroads and summon the demon.

"Summon— are you nuts?" Faith said.

"Maybe a little. But I can trap it. I can exorcise it, and I can buy us time to figure out something more permanent."

"Yeah, but how much time?"

"I don't know, a while. I mean, it's not easy for those suckers to claw their way back from hell and into the sunshine."

"Yeah ok, but no way your going alone. Im coming with you, Hope and Sam can stay with Evan." She flips open her phone and calls Hope. "Hey come to Evan's we got something."

A few minutes past and Sam and Hope walk in the door, they explain their plan.

"No. No way." Sam says.

"You're not allowed to say no, Sammy, not unless you've got a better idea." Dean says.

"Dean, you can forget it, all right? I'm not letting you summon that demon."

"I agree with him." Hope says.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like where your head is at right now, that's why not." Sam says.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asks.

"You know, you've been on edge ever since we found that crossroads, Dean, and I think I know why."

"We don't have time for this. Lets go faith." He brushes past Sam but stops when Sam starts to talk.

"Dad. You think maybe Dad made one of these deals, huh? Hell. I've been thinking it. I'm sure you've been thinking it too." Hope and Faith exchange glances.

"It fits, doesn't it? I'm alive, Dad's dead. The yellow-eyed demon was involved. What if he did? What if he struck a deal? My life for his soul?" Dean says turning around.

"Sam don't worry about it alright, I wont let him do anything stupid. I'll be there to protect him from himself ok." Faith says looking up at Sam.

He sighs, and starts to say something but is cut off by Evan, "I think I hear it! It's outside!"

"Just keep him alive, okay?" Dean says.

"Dean..." Hope says. He walks over to her, "I don't like this….please just stay here."

"It will be fine, I promise." He kisses her and turns to Faith, "lets go."


	12. Hellhound on my Tail

**Hellhound On My Trail**

Dean puts a photo of himself in Georges box of hoodoo magic. He buries it dead center at the crossroads, scraping the dirt over it with his hands. As he stands, he looks around.

"Man this is a bad idea, I don't like." Faith says.

Dean turns to face her but before he says anything he gives her a funny look.

"So. What brings a guy like you to a place like this?" Faith says.

"What?" Dean looks at her confused.

"Didn't you call me?" She blinks and when she opens her eyes they glow red for a moment.

"Shit, I didn't think it would go down this way. I'm just glad it worked."

"First time?" the Demon spoke through Faith's body.

"You could say that."

"Oh, come on now. Don't sell yourself short. I know all about you, Dean Winchester."

"So, you know who I am."

"I get the newsletter."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense. What have you heard?"

"Well, I heard you were handsome. But you're just edible. What can I do for you, Dean?"

"Maybe we should do this in my car. Nice and private."

"Sounds good to me." She grins at him and they make their way to Dean's car.

Meanwhile back at Evan's Hope and Sam are sprinkling the dust in a line before the windows, than then they start making a circle of it around Evan, who stands in the middle of the room.

"What is that stuff?" Evan asks.

"Goofer dust." Hope says.

"You serious?"

"Yeah. 'Fraid so. Look. Believe me, don't believe me, whatever you want. Just whatever you do, stay inside the circle, all right?" Hope says and Evan nods.

Dean and the Demon are still strolling towards the Impala. "So I was hoping we could strike a deal." Dean says.

"That's what I do."

"I want Evan Hudson released from his contract."

"Hmm. So sorry, darling. That's not negotiable."

"I'll make it worth your while."

She eyes him, "Oh really? What are you offering?"

"Me."

She grins at him, "Well, well, well. You'd sacrifice your life for someone else's. Like father, like son." Dean eyes her warily. "Don't listen to her Dean, she's a lying bitch!" Faith broke through the gag. Faiths head turned in a sinister way and she took in a breath, "You keep your mouth shut, you abomination." She focus on Dean "You did know about your dad's deal, right? His life for yours? Oh, I didn't make the deal myself, but... boy, I wish I had."

Dean grits his teeth and opens the passenger side door. "After you."

"Such a gentleman." As she starts to get into the car, she looks down and sees the edge of a symbol extending from below the car. "A Devil's Trap? You've got to be kidding me."

Evan whirls around at an unheard sound. "You hear that?"

Sam and Hope look at each other, "No, where?" Sam saks.

He hears the demonic growling. "Right outside the door."

"No wait…I can hear it to, faintly." Hope says and Sam gives her a weird look. The doors begin to rattle violently; Sam steps inside the circle and pulls Hope in to. Side by side inside the circle of dust, Evan, Hope and Sam stare tensely at the rattling door.

"Just don't move, all right? Stay where you are." Sam says.

"You stupid, stupid... I should rip you limb from limb." She slams the car door shut and advances on Dean, who backs up towards a wooden structure.

"Take your best shot." Dean says.

"No. I don't think so. I'm not going to put you out of your misery."

"Yeah? Why not?"

She laughs, "Because your misery's the whole point. It's too much fun to watch. Knowing how your daddy died for you, how he sold his soul. I mean, that's gotta hurt." She keeps walking towards him, he is backed up against a wooden railing. "It's all you ever think about. You wake up and your first thought is, "I can't do this anymore." You're all lit up with pain. I mean, you loved him so much. And it's all your fault." Dean recoils as she gets more in his face. "You blew it, Dean! I could have given you what you need."

"What do I need?"

"Your father. I could have brought him back. Your loss. See ya, Dean. I wish you a nice long life." She turns to walk away from him.

"Hold on."

She stops, smiling.

The rattling becomes louder, more violent, then stops suddenly.

"Do you still hear it?" Sam asks.

"No. Is it over?" Evan asks.

"I cant hear it either." Hope says.

A rumbling sound comes from a grating by the wall. They all whirl to stare at it; it bursts outward, kicking dust into the room.

"Holy shit!" Hope says as she can clearly see three demonic looking dogs, hellhounds.

"It's here!" Evan yells.

The Demon stops and turns back; Dean is standing beneath the wooden structure, head down.

"You're lucky I've got a soft spot for lost puppies and long faces. I just can't leave you like this. Besides. You didn't call me here to bargain for Evan. Not really."

"Can you bring him back? My dad?" Dean's eyes met hers.

"Of course I can. Just as he was. Your dad would live a long and natural life, like he was meant to. That's a promise." She puts her head down and tries to fight something Dean cant see, Faith speaks through again. "Dean No! Don't listen to her, don't do it." She starts laughing, "She cares about you, you know. This thing you call a woman."

Dean give her a weird look but doesn't take the bait, "What about me?"

"I could give you ten years. Ten long good years with him. That's a lifetime. The family can be together again. John, Dean, Sammy. The Winchester boys all reunited." She advances towards him. "Look. Your dad's supposed to be alive. You're supposed to be dead. So we'll just set things straight, put things in their natural order. And you get ten extra years on top. That's a bonus." She's very close to him; he turns and walks farther back.

"You think you could..." he turns to face her "... throw in a set of steak knives?

Taking a few steps forward she speaks again, "You know, this smart-ass self-defense mechanism of yours..." She stops and looks up. Above her head, on the ceiling of the wooden structure, is a Devil's Trap. She glares at him. "Dean!"

"Now you're really trapped. That's gotta hurt."

"Let me out. Now."

"Sure. We just gotta make a little deal here first. You call off your Hellhounds and let Evan go. Then I'll let you go."

"I can't break a binding contract." She explains to him.

"Hmm. And by "can't" you mean "don't want to"? Last chance. Evan and his wife get to live to a ripe old age. Going, going...

"Let's talk about this." She pleads.

"Okay, gone." Dean says. He circles around her, pulling out Dad's Journal.

The barking is growing louder and closer; invisible Hellhounds surround the three.

"Sammy are you seein this?" Hope says eyeing the devil dogs.

"I don't see anything, how the hell can you see them?"

"Hell if I know!"

Evan tries to make a run for it and Sam grabs him, "No! Back inside the circle!" Deep claw marks are gouged into the floor in a path towards the circle; they stop just before the edge. Sam and Hope look at each other, "This is not good." Sam says.

Dean has opened the Journal; he holds a rosary in one hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, you're just gonna go on a little trip. Way down South." He grins.

"Forget Evan. Think of your dad!" She tries to reason with him.

He ignores her and beings the exorcism "Regna terrae, cantate Deo..." Dean continues the exorcism, circling the Demon, who begins to flinch and convulse.

The wind blows through the open window and starts to erase their protective circle. The three backing away slowly. "Circle's broken. Come on!" Sam yells. He pulls Evan out of the room and down the hall, Hope hot on the tails. They dart into a storeroom and slam the door behind them. Sam braces himself against it and the Hellhounds start to pound it down.

"... in potentis Magnife!" Dean yells.

"Wait!" The Demon pleads. "Fine, If you let me go, I will let Evan out of his contract."

"No strings right, he walks away with a clean slate and you just disappear?"

"Yes."

"And Faith…"

"What about her? She's mine now."

"Not gonna work, you go find someone to walk around in."

She grinds her teeth, "Fine, deal."

"So is that it then?" Dean asks.

She grins at him, "Not quiet." She grabs him and pulls him into the devils trap with her, bringing her lips to his. They are locked in a passionate kiss. She breaks it; he steps back and blinks.

"What the hell was that for?" He asks.

"Sealing the deal."

"I usually like to be warned before I'm violated with demon tongue."

"Don't pretend that you didn't like it. Evan Hudson is free. He and his wife will live long lives."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"My word is my bond." Dean gives her a weird look, "It is when I make a deal. It's the rules. You got what you wanted. Now let me go."

Dean steps back, glancing up at the Devil's Trap. He grips the rosary.

"You're gonna double-cross me? Funny how I'm the trustworthy one." Dean shrugs, "You know, you renege? Send me to hell? Sooner or later I'm gonna climb out, and skinning Evan Hudson's gonna be the first thing that I do."

Dean smiles, stashes the rosary away. He climbs up and breaks the protective circle above her head. She steps out.

"I gotta tell you. You would have never pulled that stunt if you knew."

"Knew what?"

"Where your dad is. You should have made that deal. See, people talk about hell, but it's just a word. It doesn't even come close to describing the real thing."

"Shut your mouth, bitch."

"If you could see your poor daddy? Hear the sounds he makes 'cause he can't even scream?" She grins at him.

Dean advancing on her, "How about I send you back there?" Before he has a chance she throws her head back; black ichor pours out of Faith's mouth as she screams. Dean backs up until he's against the wooden structure again. The Demon is gone, and Faith is slumped over on the ground. Dean runs over to her picking her up in his arms.

"Faith!" He yells. "Wake up!" He shakes her. "Your sister is gonna kill me."

Faith moans a little and opens her eyes. "Just so you know, kissing you was the weirdest thing I have ever had to do."

He grins, "You can say that again.

The violent pounding stops; everything goes quiet. Sam and Hope look around, panting.

"I'm gonna go ahead and assume they stopped the demon." Hope says.

Sam gently opens the door, everything is quiet. Hope leans over his shoulder, "I dont see anything. I think they're gone."

They leave Evan's house and as they are walking down the stairs Sam stops Hope, "Hey, back there, you could see those things." She nods, "Its just, I thought only the people they were after could see them."

"I don't know what to tell you, I just saw them, I don't know why."

"I think its something we need to tell Dean and Faith."

"Sam, don't worry about it, it was nothing. They don't need to know."

"Yes they do."

"Alright fine, but not today ok." Sam nodded.

The Impala roars down the road Sam and Dean in the front and the girls in the back. Faith is fidgeting and restless, "Dean pull over."

Dean pulls the car over and she gets out, paces for a second and leans against the trunk, the other three follow.

"Faith whats goin on?" Sam asks.

"There's something Dean and I are not telling you two."

"Faith…" Dean says.

"No, Dean, they need to know. I am so sick of keeping shit from the people I care about."

"Alright fine."

"I was possessed, by the crossroads Demon."

Sam and Hope give her a weird look, "No that cant be possible, you have a protection tattoo on your body. It's impossible." Hope said.

"Yeah, well tell that to the demon who just wore me to the prom." Faith says. "There's something else, she called me an abomination. She told Dean I was this thing he called a woman." Sam and Hope share a glance, "Alright, what is it?" Faith said.

"Nothing, why?" Hope asked.

"Hope don't lie to me, what the hell happened back at Evan's house?"

Hope sighed, "I could see the hellhounds."

"I thought only the person they were after could see them."

"Apparently not, cause I could." Hope said.

"Come on, lets just hit the road, we will figure all this out later." Dean said.

They got in the car and speed off, Dean told Sam about what the demon said about their dad.

"Demons lie all the time, right? Maybe she was lying." Sam said.

"Come on. That really what you think? How could he do it?"

"He did it for you." Faith said from the back seat.

"Exactly. How am I supposed to live with that? You know, the thought of him... wherever he is right now. I mean, he spent his whole life chasing that... yellow-eyed son of a bitch. He should have gone out fighting. That was supposed to be his legacy. You know? Not bargaining with the damn thing. Not this."

"How many people do you think Dad saved? Total?" Sam said.

"That's not the point, Sam." Dean said.

"Evan Hudson is safe because of what Dad taught us. That's his legacy, Dean. But we're still here, man. So we gotta keep going, for him…..Dean?"

"Yeah."

Sam nervously spoke, "When you were trapping that demon, you weren't... I mean, it was all a trick, right? You never considered actually making that deal, right?"

Dean stares straight ahead, than glances in his review mirror, he meets Faith's eyes. She knew the truth, she knew he considered it, she knew he almost made the deal to bring his dad back. He reaches forward and turns the radio on full blast and doesn't say a word. Sam flinches and stares out the window.


	13. Croatoan

**Croatoan**

It was midnight, Faith, Hope, and Sam were sound asleep in the 50's themed hotel room. Dean sat in a chair across the from them. He stared at Hope, pondering how she could have seen a hellhound and how did Faith get possessed if she had a protection tattoo. He took in a deep breath as his eyes found Sam. He remembered back to the day his dad died, what he had told him. It had been eating at him for months and he didn't know how to tell Sam. He got up and headed for the parking lot, shutting the door just a little to hard. Faith woke up and looked around, noticing Dean was not in the room. She pulled her pants on and threw on a tank top and quickly caught up to Dean, who was leaning up against the Impala.

"Hey." She said walking over to him.

"Hey."

She sat next to him, "Cant sleep?"

"Not really."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

She grinned and pulled a flask out of her back pocket, offering it too him, he smiled back, flipped the lid off and took a swig. Handing it back to her, she threw one back too. "Ya know Dean, since you aint in the mood to talk, you in the mood to listen?"

He looked at her confused, "You serious? You actually want to talk about our feelings?"

"Come on man, its not like that. I just, I don't know, I cant stop thinking about the crossroads. That bitch wore me to the prom, and Hope, seeing hellhounds? It aint right Dean. What the hell is going on?"

He sighed, "Yeah I have been thinking about that too…along with other things."

She studied his face, "Its about what your dad said to you isn't it?"

He bit his lower lip, "I figured you had seen that. Its Sam…somethings not right with him."

"You mean his visions?"

"It's not a gift Faith…it's the Demon. My dad told me-" Before he could finish Sam's voice came from behind them.

"Hey, everything alright?" He asked walking up next to Faith.

"Yeah Sammy, just getting some air." Dean said.

"Alright well…I kinda need to tell you guys something. Lets go wake up Hope."

They headed back into the hotel and woke up Hope. Sam sat down on the bed and put his elbows on his knees.

"I had another vision…"

"And…?" Dean said.

"And Faith shot and killed a guy tied up to a chair, he was yelling that it wasn't in him. We were in a hospital or a clinic maybe. Rivergrove, OR, there was a poster on the back wall."

Dean was driving and Sam was navigating in the front seat with a GPS, the girls passed out in the back.

"There are only two towns in the US named Rivergrove."

"How come you're so sure it's the one in Oregon?" Dean asked.

"There was a poster on the back wall of the hospital."

"Okay, what else?" Dean asked.

"I saw a dark room, some people, and a guy tied to a chair."

Dean looked in his rearview mirror at Faith, "And she ventilated him?"

"Yeah. She thought there was something inside him."

"What, a demon? Was he possessed?"

"I don't know."

"Well, all your weirdo visions are always tied to the Yellow-Eyed Demon somehow . . . so was there any black smoke? Did we try to exorcise it?" Dean asked. "Were, we, as in all of us in there too?"

"No. Nothing, she just plugged him, that's it. You were there, but Hope and I were not."

"Well, I'm sure she had a good reason."

"I sure hope so."

"What does that mean? I mean, She's not gonna waste an innocent man."

Sam raises his eyebrows, "She's a lot like you Dean."

"Yeah and I wouldn't waste an innocent man either….I wouldn't!"

"I never said you would!"

"Fine!"

"Fine! Look, we don't know what it is. But whatever it is, that guy in the chair's a part of it. So let's find him, and see what's what." Sam yelled.

"Fine."

They pull into town past a large billboard advertising Crater Lake. They pull up in front of a wooden shop; out front an older man is cleaning a rifle; he wears a short-sleeved blue shirt with a multi-pocket brown vest. Faith and Hope get out and approach him, the boys hang back in the car.

"Morning." Faith says.

"Good morning. Can I help you?" The man asks.

"Yeah." She pulls out a badge. "Uh, Bobbi Gibbons, Jessi Beard. U.S. Marshals."

"What's this about?"

"We're looking for someone." Faith says.

"A young man, early twenties. He'd have a, a thin scar right below his hairline." Hope said, Sam explained him in detail to her.

"What'd he do?"

"Well, nothing. We're actually looking for someone else, but we think this young man could help us." Sam said.

"Yeah, he's not in any kind of trouble or anything; well, not yet.." She glances down at the man's left arm, which shows a distinctive tattoo. "I think maybe you know who he is . . . Master Sergeant." Faith smiles, "My dad was in the Corps, he was a Corporal.

"What company?"

"Echo-2-1."

Hope glances at Faith then back at the man, "So can you help us?"

He hesitates for a moment, "Duane Tanner's got a scar like that. But I know him. Good kid, keeps his nose clean."

"Oh, I'm sure he does. Um. You know where he lives?" Faith asks.

"With his family, up Aspen Way."

They leave and the man frowns as he watches them go. The boys get out of the car and walk with the girls, they cross the street, and Sam bumps into a telephone pole and glances at it in passing. He stops; carved into the wood is a single word: CROATOAN. They approach the pole and Sam points at the word with a significant look.

"Croatoan?" Dean asks.

"Yeah." Dean and Faith look at him with a blank look. "Roanoke? Lost colony? Ring a bell? Did you pay any attention in history class?"

"Yeah! Shots heard 'round the world, How bills becomes a laws . . ." Faith said. And Dean nodded in agreement.

"That's not school, that's Schoolhouse Rock." Hope said.

"Whatever."

"Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, late 1500s?" Hope said.

"Oh yeah, yeah, I do remember that. The only thing they left behind was a single word carved in a tree. Croatoan." Dean said.

"Yeah. And I mean, there were theories — Indian raid, disease, but nobody knows what really happened. They were all just gone. I mean, wiped out overnight." Hope said.

"You don't think that's what's going on here, I mean . . ." Faith said.

"Whatever I saw in my head, it sure wasn't good. But what do you think could do that?" Sam asked.

"Well, I mean, like I said, all of your weirdo visions are always tied to the Yellow-Eyed Demon somehow, so . . ." Dean said.

"This shit is bigger then all of us, I think we need a little reinforcements. Dean why don't you all Ellen and Bobby." Faith says.

"That's a good idea." He pulls out his cell phone, then frowns at it. "I don't have a signal." They all so the same, and shake their heads.

"I don't either." Sam says. They look at Hope and Faith, they hold up their phones and shake their heads. They walk to a pay phone, which Dean picks up; there's only the out of service beep and Dean clicks the receiver several times.

"Line's dead." He hangs up the phone, "I'll tell you one thing. If I was gonna massacre a town, that'd be my first step."

The Impala is parked outside a cabin-like house in the middle of nowhere, and Sam and Dean approach the front. By the door is a small, tacky plaque that reads "BORN TO FISH; FORCED TO WORK". Sam knocks on the door, and a teenaged boy with dark spiked hair opens it.

"Do you think it's weird?" Faith asked as she watched the boys talk to the young kid, from the Impala.

"What?" Hope asked.

"Sam's visions, the whole crossroads thing?"

"Yeah, I think its weird. I think it all has something to do with that damn Yellow eyed son of a bitch."

Faith sighed and nodded her head in agreement, they boys came back to the car and got in.

"So?" Hope asked.

"So something's off, I think we will just sit tight for a minute." Dean said.

Several minutes passed by and they heard a scream, they all jump out of the car and quickly arm themselves. They run to the back and kick down the back door. As they rush in, handguns raised, the dad rushes at them with a knife; Dean shoots him thrice in the chest. The boy jumps out the window, shattering glass, and darts off into the woods. Sam aims at him through the window but hesitates, giving him time to get away. They find the mother sitting in a chair tied down; she has a cut on her neck. Faith helps the mother to the car and they all get in and head for town. They pull up in front of the clinic and Sam helps her out and leads her to the door, Hope follows, Dean opens the trunk and looks around furtively, faith by his side, she glances at the 1911 pistols and nods her head. He grabs two and so does she.

Sam and Hope lead the mother inside; the clinic is quiet, dim, and empty. "Hello? Hello? We need a doctor here!" Sam yells.

A young nurse with the name tag Pam rushes out, "Mrs. Tanner, what happened?"

"She's been attacked." Hope says.

Pam turns around and yells down the hall, "Doctor Lee?!"

Dr. Lee, a female doctor rushes in, "Bring her in."

Pam leads Sam, Hope, and Bev, Mrs. Tanner, into a back room, and Dr. Lee follows. Faith and Dean enter, Dean carrying the canvas-covered body of the dad, Mr. Tanner, hoisted over his shoulders.

"Is that —" The doctor begins.

"Mr. Tanner?" Dean says.

"Was he attacked too?" She asks.

"Uh . . . no, actually, he did the attacking and then he got himself shot." Faith said.

She gives him a weird look, "Shot? And you are?"

"U.S. Marshals." Faith says whipping out her badge.

"Oh. Sorry. Bring him back here." Lee says.

Bev is seated on a stool with her shirt off; Dr. Lee sits across from her, treating the wound on her neck. "Wait, you said Jake helped him? Your son Jake?"

Bev nodded, "They beat me. Tied me up."

"I don't believe it." Pam said.

"Pam. Beverly . . . do you have any idea why they would act this way? Any history of chemical dependency?" Lee asked.

"No, of course not. I don't know why. One minute they were my husband and my son. And the next, they had the devil in them." Bev said.

The four of them are listening to this, and they share a look at her last words.

"We gotta talk." Dean said and they left the lab. "Those guys were whacked out of their gourds.

"What do you think? Multiple demons, mass possession?" Hope asked.

"If it is a possession there could be more. I mean, God knows how many, it could be like a friggin' Shriner convention." Dean said. "Of course, that's one way to wipe out a town, you take it from the inside."

"I don't know, man. We didn't see any of the demon smoke with Mr. Tanner, or any of the other usual signs." Sam said.

"Well, whatever. Something turned him into a monster. And you know if you woulda taken out the other one there'd be one less to worry about." Dean said.

"Dean…" Hope said in a stern voice.

"I'm sorry, all right? I hesitated, Dean, it was a kid!" Sam said.

"No, it was an "it". Not the best time for a bleeding heart, Sam." Faith said and Hope elbowed her. Sam looked at Faith; he studied her face, her eyes. She was empty inside, maybe she could kill an innocent man.

Dr. Lee stalks out of the lab, her heels clicking loudly on the floor.

"How's the patient?"

"Terrible! What the hell happened out there?" She demanded answers.

"We don't know." Hope said.

"Yeah? Well, you just killed my next door neighbor." Lee said.

"We didn't have a choice." Dean said.

"Maybe so, but we need the county Sheriff. I need the coroner . . ." Lee said.

"Phones are down." Sam said.

"I know, I tried. Tell me you have a police radio in the car?" She asked.

"Yeah we do. But it crapped out just like everything else." Faith said.

"How far is it to the next town?" Dean asked.

"It's about forty miles down to Sidewinder." She said.

"All right, I'm gonna go down there, see if I can find some help." He slapped Sam on the shoulder and pointed to Faith and Hope. "My partners will stick around, keep you guys safe."

"Safe from what?" She asked.

"We'll get back to you on that." Dean said.

Sam is leaning against a counter, staring at the body of Mr. Tanner. He begins pacing; Faith takes the clip out of her gun, double checks to see if its loaded and puts it back in. She has an extra clip on her right thigh. Hope is staring out the window, worried, waiting for Dean to come back. Dr. Lee is nearby, looking at something in a microscope.

"Huh." She says. "His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high. His body was fighting off a viral infection."

Hope and Faith look at each other, "Really? What kind of virus?" Hope asks.

Lee shakes her head, "Can't say for sure."

"Do you think an infection could have made him act like that?" Sam asks.

"None that I've ever heard of. I mean, some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood."

"Did what?" Sam asked.

"There's this . . . weird residue. If I didn't know better I'd say it was sulfur."

They all look at each other, confused.

"I don't understand. Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?" Bev askes.

"That's what we're trying to find out. Now, during the attack, do you remember . . . did you have any direct contact with their blood?" Lee asks.

"Oh my God. You don't think I've got this virus, do you?"

"Beverly, I don't know what to think. But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample." Bev nods and lays her hand gently on Dr. Lee's. Suddenly she grabs Lee's wrist and yells in rage, lashing out with her other hand. Sam advances on her and she tosses him against a glass cabinet, which shatters. She picks up a scalpel and Faith takes out her gun and is ready to shot, Hope stops her and Sam quickly takes a fire extinguisher from the wall; she advances on him, still yelling and he knocks her out.

Dr. Lee is again looking through the microscope; Pam huddles against the far wall.

"What if we all have it? What if we all go crazy?"

"You've got to stay calm. All we can do is wait. The Marshal's bringing help." Lee tells Pam.

She holds her head with her hands and stands up, "I can't, I . . . I've got to go."

Faith gets up and points the gun at Pam, tears are in Faith's eyes. "Sit down and shut the hell up."

"Faith!" Hope yells at her.

Pam beings to cry, "No, you don't understand. My boyfriend's out there, I gotta make sure he's okay."

Sam rushes over to Faith, he puts his hand on top of hers, the one that has the gun. He leans in close to her. "Put the gun down Faith." She grinds her teeth before lowering the gun and putting it back in its holster. Pam heads for the door and Sam grabs her arm, "All right, wait, wait. Please. Look, I know you're upset, all right? But it's safer if you stay here for now. Help is coming."

Hope walks over to Faith, "What the hell Faith?"

"I'm just, on edge is all."

"all right well you need to calm the hell down."

"Yeah ok."

Hope takes in a breath, "and where the hell is Dean?"

Just then they hear the Impala pull up outside.

"Sammy? Open up!" Dean yells from the other side of the door, Sam opens the door to let in Dean and Mark, the older guy from earlier; both are armed.

"Did you guys, uh, get to a phone?" Sam asks. Hope walks over to Dean and grabs his hand, he looks at her confused, She whispers in his ear.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, don't ever take that long."

He grinned at her and turned his attention back to Sam "Road block. Where's the doc?"

"What's going on out there, Dean?" Sam asked.

"Man, I don't know, I feel like Chuck Heston in the Omega Man, I mean, Sarge is the only sane person I could find. What are we dealing with, do you know?"

"Yeah. Doc thinks it's a virus." Faith says.

"Okay, great. What do you guys think?"

"I think she's right." Sam says.

"Really?" Dean says.

"Yeah. And I think the infected are trying to infect others with blood-to-blood contact. Oh, but it gets better. The uh, the virus? Leaves traces of sulfur in the blood."

"A demonic virus?" Dean says.

"Yeah, more like demonic germ warfare. At least it explains why I've been having visions."

"It's like a Biblical plague." Faith says.

"Yeah. You don't know how right you are, Dean. I've been poring through your Dad's journal, found something about the Roanoke colony."

"Dad always had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name. Sometimes known as Deva or sometimes Reesha. A demon of plague and pestilence." Sam said.

"Well, that, that's terrific. Why here, why now?" Dean asked.

"I have no idea. But Dean, who knows how far this thing can spread? We gotta get out of here, we gotta warn people." Sam said.

Sam sighs, "The wife. She's infected."

"We've gotta take care of this. We can't just leave her in there. My neighbors, they were strong. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get." Mark said.

Faith pulls out her gun and heads for the lab, Dean barely hesitates before grabbing his and following her in.

"You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner?" Lee asks as they walk in guns loaded.

"Doctor, could there be any treatment? Some kind of cure for this?" Sam asks.

"Can you cure it?" Faith asks.

"For God's sake, I don't even know what "it" is!" Lee says.

"I told you, it's just a matter of time before she breaks through." Mark says.

"Just leave her in there, you can't shoot her like an animal!" Pam yells.

"Sam." Dean says.

They go to the door of the utility room, where Bev is being held. Dean and Faith hold their guns ready; Sam carefully opens the door, and Dean and Faith take up offensive positions, Mark ready at their back. Inside, Bev is huddled on the floor, knees drawn up. She jumps at their approach.

"Mark, what are you doing? Mark, it's, it's them! They locked me in here, they, they tried to kill me! They're infected, not me! Please, Mark! You've known me all your life! Please!" Bev yells

"You sure she's one of 'em?" Dean asks and Faith nods.

Sam nods, his face twisted in distress. Mark pulls back, near tears, Dean looks at Faith, She never takes her eyes off of Bev. He remembers Sam's vision. "I got his one ok." Faith gives him an odd look and is about to say something but he cuts her off. "Faith please, just let me handle it." She frowns but lowers her gun. Dean steps forward and fires twice.

The shades are drawn, and Mark peers through them cautiously. A few people are gathered outside. Behind him, Sam pulls out a hunting knife and checks the blade as Dean loads a gun. In the lab, Pam has just dropped a vial of blood; she screams. "Oh god! Is there any on me? Am I okay?"

Lee rushes over to her to calm her down, "You're clean, you're okay."

Pam sighs and melts to the floor, "Why are we staying here? Please, let's just go!"

"No, we can't, because those things are everywhere." Dean says.

"She's right about one thing. We can't stay here. We've gotta get out of here, get to the Roadhouse? Somewhere. Let people know what's coming." Sam whispers to Dean. Faith and Hope walk up beside them.

"Yeah, good point. Night of the Living Dead didn't exactly end pretty." Dean said.

"Well, I'm not sure we've got a choice. Lots of folks up here are good with rifles — even with all your hardware we're, we're easy targets. So unless you've got some explosives . . ." Mark said.

Hope glances up at a shelf of medical supplies and gets an idea. "We could make some." She goes to the shelf and takes down a bottle of Potassium Chloride.

Dean grins, "That's my girl." Just then, someone starts pounding frantically on the front door.

The kid from Sam's vision is yelling, "Hey! Let me in, let me in! Please!"

"It's Duane Tanner!" Mark yells. He opens the door and lets Duane in. He has a backpack and is limping. "Duane, you okay?"

Dean leans over to Sam and quietly whispers, "That's the guy that She, uh, *clicks tongue*"

"Yeah." Sam says glancing at Faith.

"Who else is in here?" Duane asks.

Dean grabs his arm and leads him to a chair, "Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, chief. Hey Doc! Give Duane a good once-over, would you?"

Lee grabs a needle and a vile for blood and pokes him in the arm.

"Duane. Where you been?" Mark asks.

"On a fishing trip up by Roslyn. I came back this afternoon. I . . . I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know! They started cutting him with knives! I ran, I've been hiding in the woods ever since. Has anybody seen my mom and dad?"

Dean turns to SAM, attempting a joking tone. "Awkward . . ."

"Your bleeding." Lee says noticing the gash on his leg.

"Where'd you get that?" Faith asks.

"I was running, I must have tripped."

Dean and Faith share a glance, "Tie him up, there's rope in there." Dean says.

"Wait . . ." Duane attempts to get up.

Pulling her gun on Duane, Faith yells, "Sit down!"

"I'm sorry, Duane, she's right. We've gotta be careful." Mark says.

"Did they bleed on you?" Dean asks.

"No, what the hell? No!" Duane says.

"Doc? Any way to know for sure, any test?" Hope asks

"I've studied Beverly's bloodwork backwards and forwards." Lee says. "It took three hours for the virus to incubate. The sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then, so . . . no, there'd be no way of knowing. Not until after Duane turns."

"I gotta talk to you three. Now." Sam says to Hope, Faith and Dean.

They head into the other room. "This is my vision, Dean. It's happening." Sam says.

"Yeah, I figured." Dean says.

Sam turns his attention to Faith "You can't kill him, all right? Not yet. We don't know if he's infected or not."

"Well, I think we're pretty damn sure. Guy shows up out of nowhere, he's got a cut on his leg, his whole family's infected?" Faith says.

"All right, then we should keep him tied up, and we should wait and see." Hope pipes in.

"For what? For him to Hulk out and infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance." Faith says.

"Sorry Sam, but I am with Faith on this one."

"He's just a kid." Hope says. "You have to wait."

Faith starts to push past Sam, who stops her with by grabbing her shoulders.

"Hey look, man, I'm not happy about this, okay? But it's a tough job and you know that." Faith says Shaking Sam off of her.

"It's supposed to be tough, Faith. We're supposed to struggle with this, that's the whole point."

Faith laughs through tears she's trying to hold back, "What does that buy us huh?"

"A clear conscience, for one!"

"Well, it's too late for that." She brushes past him and he grabs her again with pleading eyes.

"What the hell's happened to you?" Hope asks faith.

"What?" Faith asks confused.

"You might kill an innocent man, and you don't even care! You don't act like yourself anymore, Hell, you know what? You're acting like one of those things out there." Hope yells at her sister.

Faith pushes past Sam and over to Hope, getting up in her personal space. She leans in and whispers in her ears, "You know what happened to me." Faith studies Hope's eyes, "Hell, you were there with me."

Hope looks at her, sadness fills her eyes, "Faith….you have to let it go. You didn't know…"

"Yes I did, deep down I knew it was in her, but I let her go anyways and she ended up killing her family."

Dean and Sam watched, confused. "So, I'm not making that mistake again. Come on Dean." Dean headed out the door and Faith pushes past Sam a third time; Sam tries to stop her again but she hurls him against the far wall. She goes back into the hall and locks the door behind her.

"Hey!" He rattles the lock. "Open the damn door, Dean! Don't do it, Dean let me out! Don't do it Faith!"

She turns around and meets Dean's eyes, "Are you with me?" He nods and they head for the hallway. Faith stops and she drops the clip out of the gun and taps it against the butt, then replaces it. She opens the door to the lab and Dean shuts it behind him; Duane is tied to the chair and Mark, Pam and Dr. Lee stand nearby.

"No, you're not gonna . . . No, no, I swear it's not in me!" Duane yells.

"Oh God. We're all gonna die." Pam says.

"Maybe he's telling the truth." Dean says.

"No, he's not him, not anymore." Faith says.

"Stop it! Ask her, ask the doctor! It's not in me!" Duane pleads.

Faith looks at Lee for a response, "I . . . I can't tell." She says.

Duane begins to sob, "Please, don't. Don't, please. I swear, it's not in me, it's not in me, I swear, I, I swear it's not in me. No, don't!"

"I got no choice kid." Faith says as she raises the gun to his head her finger hovering over the trigger, Duane sobbing, the others watching in tense silence. Faith trembles, hesitates, and finally lowers the gun with a grimace. "Damn it!" Duane pants in relief as Dean and Faith leave the room.

"I couldn't have done it either." Dean says.

Faith grinds her teeth, "I was sure I could, I…god I hate this job."

Dean puts his hand on her shoulder, "Yeah…me too."

They head back to the room where Hope and Sam were locked in, Faith opens it and they walk out.

Faith and Sam are preparing explosives with rags and glass bottles. Dr. Lee enters, hands in her pockets. "It's been over four hours. Duane's blood is still clean. I don't think he's infected. I'd like to untie him, if that's all right."

Sam and Dean share a look, but its Faith who speaks, her voice unsure of itself. "Sure. Yeah." She leaves.

"You know I'm gonna ask you why." Hope says walking over to Faith.

"Yeah, I was wondering that too." Sam says.

"Yeah, I know." Faith says.

"So why? Why didn't you do it?" Hope demands.

She sighs, "We need more alcohol."

"Yeah ok." Hope and Sam get up and go into the dispensary and find Pam already there.

"How you holding up, Pam?" Hope asks rubbing her shoulder with her hand.

"Good. It'll all be over soon." Pam says.

She walks over and shuts the door and locks it; Sam and Hope, their backs turned don't notice.

"In fact, I've been waiting for this the whole time." Pam says turning her attention to them.

"For what?" Sam asks.

"To get you alone." Pam says. She lashes out and knocks them to the ground. She straddles Sam's chest and hits him, hard, across the face. Outside the room, Dean and faith hear the commotion and arm themselves. Pam has a scalpel in one hand, which she slices across Sam's chest and then she reaches over to a knocked out Hope and does the same to her. She then cuts herself across her own palm, placing her wound over Sam's and Hope's. Dean kicks the door open and shoots her three times in the back. She convulses and falls to the floor. Sam reaches out a hand to Dean, who starts to lean over to take it; Faith runs over to Hope. MARK pulls Dean back.

"She bled on him. He's got the virus." He looks at Hope, "Get away from her! She's infected." He points to the cut on her neck.

Sam pulls his hand back, realizing it's true; Dean and faith share a look, stunned, looking from Sam to Hope.

Hope is still knocked out, she's lying on a bed, bandages on her neck, and Sam is now sitting on the stool, a bandage pressed to his chest. His eyes are down, and he looks near tears. The others surround him, Dean pacing angrily. Faith takes in a breath and walks towards him but stops when he gives her a stern look. She sighs and glances a Hope.

"Doc, check the wounds again, would you?" Dean says but the doctor doesn't move, "Doctor!"

"What's she need to examine them for? You saw what happened." Mark says.

"Did her blood actually enter your wound?" Lee asks.

"Come on, of course it did!" Mark yells.

"We don't know that for sure." Dean says, Faith's eyes start to fill with tears as the reality hits her. She might lose her sister, and Sam.

"We can't take a chance." Duane says.

"You know what we have to do." Mark says.

"Nobody is shooting my brother, and nobody is shooting her sister." Dean says.

"He isn't gonna be your brother much longer. You said it yourself." Duane says and takes a step toward Hope. From behind Faith takes out her gun and presses it to the back of his head. "If you take one more step I'll blow your damn head off."

"Nobody is shooting anyone!" Dean yells.

"She was gonna shoot me!" Duane yells.

"You don't shut your pie-hole, she still might!" Dean yelled. "Faith…lower the gun alright." She hesitates but obeys, she fixes herself between Hope and the rest of the room.

"Dean, they're right. I'm infected; just give me the gun and I'll do it myself." Sam says.

"Forget it!" Faith yells.

"I'm not gonna become one of those things." Sam says, I can take Hope too."

"Sam, we've still got some time." Dean says.

"Time for what? Look, I understand he's your brother and she's your sister, and I'm sorry, I am. But we gotta take care of this." Mark pulls out a hand gun

"I'm gonna say this one time — you make a move on them, you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me? I mean, do I make myself clear?!" Dean yells.

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Mark yells putting the gun away.

Dean tosses Mark the keys to the Impala, "Get the hell out of here, that's what. Take my car. You've got the explosives, there's an arsenal in there. You two go with him. You've got enough firepower to handle anything now."

"What about you two?" Mark asks.

"Dean, no. No. Go with them. This is your guys only chance!" Sam pleads.

"You're not gonna get rid of me that easy." Faith grins.

"No, he's right. Come with us." Dean and Faith stare at him, "Okay, it's your funeral." Mark says.

Mark leads Duane and Dr. Lee to the door, "I'm sorry. Thanks for everything, Marshals." She leaves, and Dean shuts the door behind her. He turns slowly to face Sam, who starts to cry.

"Wish we had a deck of cards, or a foosball table or something." Dean says.

"Dean, don't do this. Just get the hell out of here." Sam says.

"No way." Dean says, he glances at Hope who starts to wake up. She moans and sits up rubbing her head.

"Mother f…damn that hurt." She looks around the room, "Shit who died?" She asks as she see's their faces.

"We're infected Hope. I'm trying to talk these two idiots into giving me my gun, and leaving."

She touches her neck, "Shit…get the hell outta here."

"For the last time, No." Dean says.

"This is the dumbest thing you've ever done." Sam says slamming his hand on the table.

"Oh, I don't know about that. Remember that waitress in Tampa?" He shudders.

"Faith, please…" Hope beings.

"Shut up, I don't want to hear it. I'm not leaving you." Faith says.

"Dean, we're sick. It's over for me. It doesn't have to be for you too." Hope says. "You can keep going."

"Who says we want to?" Faith says.

"What?" Hope asks.

Dean crosses to the other wall and pulls a handgun out of his waistband before sitting on the file cabinet. "Faith is right Sammy, I'm tired. I'm tired of this job, this life . . . this weight on my shoulders, man. I'm tired of it."

"So what, so you're just going to give up? You're just gonna lay down and die? Look, Dean, I know this stuff with Dad has —"

"You're wrong. It's not about Dad. I mean, part of it is, sure, but . . ."

"What is it about?"

They hear a noise outside; a moment later there's a knocking on the door. Dean picks up both handguns and crosses to it; Dr. Lee is there. He opens the door.

"You'd better come see this." She says.

All five survivors are standing just outside the clinic; everything else in sight is deathly silent.

"There's no one. Not anywhere. They've all just . . . vanished." Lee says.

The night falls and passes, morning comes and Dr. Lee is looking through the microscope; Sam and Hope ae seated on the exam table.

"Well, it's been five hours and your blood's still clean. i don't understand it but I think you two dodged a bullet." Lee says.

"But we were exposed. How could we not be infected?" Hope asks

"I don't know. But you're just not. I mean, you compare it with the Tanner samples . . ." she looks through another microscope. "What the hell?"

"What?" Sam asks.

"Their blood. There's no trace of the virus. No sulfur, nothing." Lee says confused.

Mark and Duane are sitting outside, along with Dean and Faith. The doctor, Hope and Sam walk out.

"There is no sign of infection, don't ask me how, but they will be fine." Lee says

"And Duane?" Faith asks.

"He's going to be fine. No signs of infection." Lee says.

Lee goes back inside as Mark and Duane pull away in the truck. Dean and Faith turn to Sam and Hope.

"Hey man, don't look at me. I got no clue." Sam says.

"Yeah, it's a new one to me." Hope says.

"I swear, I'm gonna lose sleep over this one. I mean, why here, why now? And where the hell did everybody go? It's like they just friggin' melted." Dean says.

"Why the hell were you two immune?" Faith asks.

"Yeah. You know what? That's a good question. You know, I'm already starting to feel like this is the one that got away?" Dean says.

"Yeah, me too. I don't know man, I still feel like I should have killed that kid. Something don't feel right." Faith said.

They all get into the car and pull out of town.

"So. Last night. You want to tell me what the hell you were talking about?" Sam asked Dean.

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? I mean you said you were tired of the job. And that it wasn't just because of Dad."

"Forget it."

"No, I can't. No way."

"Come on man, I thought we were all going to die, you can't hold that over me." Dean said as he pulled the Impala over.

"No, no. You can't pull that crap with me, man. You're talking." Sam said.

"This should be good." Faith said from the backseat.

"And what if I don't?"

"Then I guess I'll just have to keep asking until you do."

"Dean, what is it? Just talk." Hope said.

"I don't know, man. I just think maybe we ought to . . . go to the Grand Canyon." Faith smiled at the idea and Sam and Hope looked at him confused. "Yeah, you know, all this driving back and forth across country, you know I've never been to the Grand Canyon? Or we could go to T.J. Or Hollywood."

"You're not making any sense." Hope said.

"I just think we should take a break from all this. Why do we gotta get stuck with all the responsibility, you know? Why can't we live life a little bit?" Dean asked.

"Yeah…no shit." Faith said.

"Why are you saying all this?" Sam asked confused.

Dean shakes his head and turns away from Sam. "No, no, Dean. You're my brother, all right? So whatever weight you're carrying, let me help a little bit."

"And me…" Hope says putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I can't. I promised." Dean says, Faith looks at him in the rearview mirror.

"Who?" Sam asks.

"Dad."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

Dean looks down then back at Faith, "Right before Dad died, he told me something."

"Dean don't…" Faith says.

Dean takes a breath then looks at Sam. "He told me something about you."

Hope and Sam look at him confused.

"What? Dean, what did he tell you?" Sam asks.


	14. Promises and Paper Moons

**Promises and Paper moons**

Dean gets out of the car and the rest follow, he leans back on the hood of the car. "Before Dad died he, he told me something — something about you.

Sam crosses his arms, "What? Dean, what did he tell you?"

"He said that he wanted me to watch out for you, to take care of you."

"He told you that a million times." Sam said.

"No, this time was different. He said that I had to save you."

Faith and Hope looked at each other then back to Dean.

"Save me from what?"

"He just said that I had to save you, that nothing else mattered; and that if I couldn't, I'd . . ."

"You'd what, Dean?"

"That I'd have to kill you. He said that I might have to kill you, Sammy." Tears filled Dean's eyes.

"What? Hell no, Dean…" Faith said.

"Kill me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sam asked.

"I don't know." Dean shakes his head.

"I mean, he must have had some kind of reason for saying it, right? Did he know the demon's plans for me? Am I supposed to go Darkside or something? What else did he say, Dean?" Sam was pacing now.

"Nothing, that's it, I swear."

"How could you not have told me this?" Sam said annoyed.

"Because it was Dad, and he begged me not to."

"Who cares?! Take some responsibility for yourself, Dean! You had no right to keep this from me!"

"Hey, calm down Sam. He did it to protect you." Faith said. Hope walked over to Dean and stood by him, linking her fingers through his.

"You knew about this?" Sam said facing Faith.

"No…I"

"And you didn't tell me!"

"She didn't know Sammy! You think I wanted this? Huh? I wish to God he'd never opened his mouth. Then I wouldn't have to walk around with this screaming in my head all day."

Sam turns away from them and takes a few steps, fuming "We've just got to figure out what's going on, then, what the hell all this means."

"We do? I've been thinking about this, I think we should just lay low. You know? At least for a while. It'd be safer. And that way I can make sure —"

Sam turns back to face his brother, "What? That I don't turn evil? That I don't turn into some kind of killer?!"

Calmly, Dean says, "I never said that."

"Jeez, if you're not careful you will have to waste me one day, Dean."

Faith looks at Sam, her face is defeated.

Dean gets up from the hood of the car and lets go of Hope's hands, "I never said that! Damnit, Sam, this whole thing is spinning out of control. All right? You and Hope are immune to some weirdo demon virus, and I don't even know what the hell anymore. And you're pissed at me, I get it. That's fine, I deserve it. But we lay low until we figure out our next move, okay?"

"Forget it." He turns and heads down the road.

"Sam! Stop!" Faith yells, Sam keeps going, she jogs to catch up to him.

"Sam, please, man. Hey, please. Just give me some time. Give me some time to think, okay? I'm begging you here, please. Please." Dean yells after his brother.

Faith catches up to Sam and stands in front of him making him stop. "No, you turn around and get your ass back in that car!" She yells at him, tears form in her eyes. "I am sick and tired of losing the people that I care about. Something is seriously jacked right now, with you, with my sister…I don't know which was is up! So no, you don't get to walk away from this…or us…"

Sam looks down at her pleading face, he studies her eyes. There's something there that wasn't before, something different. There's fire, and passion, light. He sighs and wraps his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I just…I'm sorry."

She breathes in his scent and they walk back to the others. "Now listen, we do what Dean said, we lay low until we get this shit figured out." Faith says.

Hope walks over to her, "What do you think is going on? Is there something wrong with me? Am I somehow tied to the Yellow eyed demon?"

Faith looks at her baby sister, "No, everything is going to be fine. We will figure it all out, I promise." She hugs her sister tight, "Now, I need a drink."

The sisters walked towards the bar, Hope noticing something about her sister was off. She was acting well, human. Her guard wasn't up, she didn't have a scowl on her face and she actually looked…happy.

"Ok Faith, spill…What's going on with you?" Hope said stopping at the bar.

"Nothing, what are you talking about? Stop trying to play Dr. Phil."

"Something is different…There's not a stick up your ass anymore…What gives."

"What do you think about Sam?" Faith asked trying not to seem too obvious.

"I think he liiikes you!" Hope Sang, and they laughed together. "You know I like the guy."

"Honestly, what do you think of him?"

"He's cuter than you" Hope said, with a serious look on her face, she took a drink of her beer.

"Cuter than me?"

"Let's face it your never gonna get anyone on your looks!" Hope sarcastically replied

"Well that's too bad cause my attitude sucks!" They laughed, grabbed their drinks and headed back to the table where the boys were sitting. Faith stopped Hope just out of ear shot from the boys.

"Are you worried?" She asked Hope.

Hope sighed, "No, I'm scared….of everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Of Sam, of me, hell even of you." Faith gave her a weird look.

"Faith, you were going to kill that guy back in Oregon. You didn't see the look in your eye, there was nothing, just…nothing. I understand it still gets to you, what happened in Tampa, but you still let that guy go, and I didn't think you would. I'm afraid of what might happen to me and Sam, to you if something does happen to us. Why where we immune, why does Sam have these freak visions that always lead us to the damn demon….And Dean, what if I fall for the guy, like I already am and he leaves me rode hard and put away wet?" She takes a breath, "I'm just…confused."

Faith put her hand on Hope's shoulder, "Well if he does hurt you I'll castrate him." She said with a grin, Hope laughed some. "Don't worry little sister, I am always going to be here to catch you. Everything will be fine, we'll figure it all out." Hope smiled and hugged her sister

"Thanks." Hope headed for the table.

"Anytime…" Faith's smile faded as they made their way to the boys.

As Hope sat down Dean leaned in to kiss her but she pulled away from him, she was putting up the wall. She was scared of getting hurt and was sure he would get the job done. He looked at her confused, took a big drink of his beer and went to the bar to get another drink. Hope looked at Faith who sighed and headed for the bar to talk to Dean.

"What happened to her?" Sam asked Hope as he watched Faith head to the bar.

Hope wrinkled her eyebrows, "What do you mean?" Sam gave her a 'you know what I mean look' she sighed and took a drink of her beer, "A lot of things Sam. Her life has been hard, I used to hate her for being so cold but truth is, she's the one who kept us going. She's my rock, I just wish I knew how to be hers…"

"About Oregon…"

"I figured you would ask me about that. A couple years back we found a nest in Tampa, a nest of…well truth is I don't know what the hell they were, all we knew is we could kill them. They would take over a humans body, but they weren't demons and there was no way to detect them. There was this young girl, Faith was going to kill her but I told her no. I convinced her she was all human, but Faith was still hell bent on taking her out. Finally I talked her out of it. Turns out that girl ended up killing her family, and then moving on. Whatever IT was, was in her."

Sam sat there for a moment, "You know she was so sure that Duane was not right." Hope nodded her head. "You think she was right?"

Hope took another drink of beer, "I sure hope not."

"Hey man." Faith said as she sat next to Dean."

"Hey."

"Don't let it get to you."

"Whats getting to me? I could careless."

Faith laughed, "Yeah right…." If he wanted to play she was going to let him, "You should know Dean, my sister usually goes after the pretty boys, ya know the ones that can fly her anywhere in the world on their private jets with daddy's money." Faith said. She turned to the bartender, "Shot of Jack please." He poured her one and she threw it back.

"So she's into frat boys." Dean said taking a shot. He turned to look at Hope but she was at the other end of the bar being wooed by someone who was 180 degree opposite of him.

"I guess you could say that!" chuckled Faith "You're just not her type, she knows that you and I are way too much alike and well…she doesn't want to marry her sister if ya catch my drift." Faith said as she motioned the bar tender to pour her another shot.

At that moment Sam walked up to the bar, wrapped his arm around Faith's waist pulling her closer. For never being the romantic type, she didn't mind, because when she looked up into Sam's eyes, she felt safer than she ever had before. She shut her eyes for a moment, taking in all of him.

"Who's that?" Sam asked nodding in Hope's direction.

"Frat boy of the week" Dean belted out taking another swig.

"Oh, we're still pining over Hope I see" Sam laughed. "Thought she turned you down just…over there." Sam said pointing at the table they were just at.

After Dean swallowed a few more shots, Hope bounced over. "You guys ready to go?"

"Yeah" replied Faith "what about this week's catch over there?"

"Oh him? He's a pilot on a layover, he's nice but." She started

"But not looking for someone to layover!" Interrupted Dean taking yet another shot, slamming the glass on the counter he winked at Hope, knowing he made her blood boil.

"What the hell's your problem?" Hope asked.

"Oh I think you know." Dean threw back his last shot and headed toward the door.

Hope looked at her sister and Faith motioned with her head for her to follow him, Hope sighed and trotted after Dean.

"Dean wait!"

"What for?"

"Just stop, please."

Dean turned around and faced her, "You know, for the first time in my life I thought I finally found someone worth a damn, worth letting my damn guard down. But I guess not huh!" Dean yelled.

"I'm sorry ok! I'm new to all this…I….I get to attached to people and I'm always the one getting hurt…so forgive me if I don't trust someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah, someone like you! Your just like Faith Dean, you're here for yourself and you don't care about the people you might hurt along the way. Don't get me wrong I love my sister, but Sam, that is the longest relationship she has ever had!"

Dean laughed in an annoyed away, "I'm not your sister Hope, and I sure as hell am not your past. You don't know me, you don't know what kind of guy I am and you never will unless you give me a damn chance!" He took in a breath and ran his fingers through his hair, "I'm scared to alright! I don't know why like you so damn much cause your so damn annoying. Hell, its like having a female Sam running around!" In a mocking voice Dean pretended to be her, "Lets talk about our feelings, lets hug and make rainbows!"

Hope bit her lower lip trying not to laugh, "Are you done?"

Dean sighed and smiled, "Yeah, I think I'm done."

"Good." Hope grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him into her, pressing her lips to his. Sam and Faith were near by watching. Faith was shocked, but in a good way. Her sister finally grew some balls…small balls…but balls none the less.


	15. Hunted

**Hunted**

Sam stares at Faith who is sound asleep on the bed, he sighs not wanting to leave her. Dean and Hope are in another room, doing anything but sleeping. He walks over to her and brushes her hair out of her face, "forgive me." He says and kisses her on the forehead. Sam leaves the motel room alone, a bag over his shoulder. He walks quietly past the Impala to a small black car; he opens the door with a coat hanger, looks around, and gets in. He drives away.

Sam stops by the roadhouse, gets information on everyone "like him." Ash drops him a name, Scott Carey who lived in Indiana but was stabbed and murdered outside his shrinks office. He takes off and heads for Indiana. Sam finds Scotts house, talks with his dad and pokes around his room. The room contains a bare bed with a sleeping bag, some bookshelves covered in books and cassette tapes. On the bedside table he sees several bottles of pills, prescribed by Dr. George Waxler. Sam looks behind him, then pockets one bottle. He opens Scott's closet and shoves aside the clothes to reveal a collage of yellow eyes cut out of photos or magazines, glued to the wall. He stares, shocked.

Sam walks across the parking lot. As he gets to the door he senses he's being followed; he turns and grabs the figure behind him, shoving her against the wall. It is a young woman, close to his age.

"Who are you?"

"Please! You're in danger!" She yells. He looks around and motions for her to get in the car, she does and he takes off to his hotel.

Faith rolls around in bed searching for Sam, when she cant find him she shoots up awake, "Sam?" She calls out but there is no answer, "Sam!" There is nothing. She gets up and searches the room for him, finding nothing, except a missing Sam along with his bag. She quickly gets dressed and bangs on Dean and Hope's hotel door.

She can hear Dean grunting and tripping over things as he makes his way to the door, he opens it, naked, with only a pillow over his goods. "What?!" He yells.

Faith looks him up and down and smiles, "Girlfriend got layed." She pushes past dean and throws an empty pizza box at her sister causing her to wake up.

"Faith, what gives?" Dean asks.

"Its Sam, hes gone, everything packed up and hes gone!"

"What?!" Dean and Hope say together.

"Get your shit, we gotta find him!" Faith yells.

Dean starts the Impala and Faith and Hope bail in, all three in the front seat. Dean's cell phone rings and he quickly picks it up.

"Hello?"

"It's Ellen."

"Hey, have you heard from Sam?"

"I have, but he made me promise not to tell you where he is.

"Come on, Ellen, please. Something bad could be going on here, and I swore I'd look after that kid." Dean pleads.

"Now Dean, they say you can't protect your loved ones forever…Well, I say screw that. What else is family for? He's in Lafayette, Indiana."

"Thanks." He says and hangs up the phone. "He's in Indiana."

"What the hell is he doing there?" Faith asked.

"Best guess, trying to figure this demon shit out." Dean said.

The girl who was stalking Sam is pacing by the window of his hotel room and nervously biting her finger nails. "Okay, look, I know how all this sounds, but I am not insane and I am not on drugs. Okay? I am normal, and this is way, way off the map for me."

"All right, all right, just, just calm down. Okay? What's your name?" Sam asked her sitting on the bed.

"Ava…..Ava Wilson."

"Ava, I'm Sam Winchester, all right? Now, you were telling me about these dreams of yours?"

"Uh, yeah, uh, okay, about a year ago I started having these, like, headaches, and just, nightmares, I guess. And I really didn't think much of it until I had this one dream where I saw this guy get stabbed in a parking lot." She talked fast and it was hard for Sam to understand her. She was scared and freaked out by everything.

"When was this?"

"Uh, about a month ago. But, anyway, a couple of days later, I found this." She pulls out a newspaper clipping and hands it to Sam; it reads "LOCAL MAN STABBED TO DEATH IN PARKING LOT" next to a picture of Scott Carey. Sam takes the clipping and skims through it.

"I saw this guy die, days before it happened. I don't know why, I don't know, it's just for some reason, my dreams are coming true. And last night I had another one…..About you. I saw you die."

"How did you find me?"

"Oh, uh, you had motel stationary, and I Googled the motel, and it was real, and so I just thought that I should warn you." She said.

"I don't believe this."

"Oh, oh, of course you don't. You think I'm a total nutjob." She said throwing her hands up in the air.

"Wait, no, no, no, I mean, you must be one of us."

"Sorry, one of, one of who?" She asked confused.

"One of the Psychics. Like me. Look, Ava, I have visions too, all right? So we're connected."

She laughs, "Okay, so, you're nuts. That's great."

"Okay, okay, look. Did your mother happen to die in a house fire?"

"No, my mother lives in Palm Beach!"

"So you don't fit the pattern either." Sam says and Ava frowns.

Its night time now and Ava is still with Sam in his hotel room, "Why can't you just leave town? Please? Before you blow up?" She asked him but Sam shakes his head. "Oh, god. Why not?"

"Because there's something going on here, Ava. With you, with me. I mean, there are others like us out there. And we're all a part of something, and I've got to figure out what."

"Okay. you know what? Screw you, buddy. Okay? Because I'm a secretary from Peoria and I'm not part of anything! Okay? Do you see this?" She holds up her wedding ring, "I am getting married in eight weeks. I am supposed to be at home addressing invitations, which I am way behind on, by the way. But instead, I drove out here to save your weirdo ass. But if you just want to stay here and die, fine. Me? I'm due back on Planet Earth." She headed for the door and put her hand on the handle.

"Don't you want to know why this is happening? I mean, don't these visions scare the hell out of you? Because if you walk out that door right now you might never know the truth. I need your help." Sam said and she turned around to face him.

She sighs and walks over to the chair near the table, "How the hell am I suppose to help you anyways?"

"You mind staying in town for a few days?" Sam says and she looks at him confused.

Ava is sitting in Dr. Waxler's office the next day in a therapy session, in order to cover for Sam's mission of theft.

"So, Ms. Wilson, you're new in town." The good doctor asks her and she nods her head, "And what made you decided to seek out therapy?"

"I have no idea." She said and he gave her a weird look, "No. I mean, I'm feeling really super anxious right now."

"Okay, anything else?" He looked up at her from above his glasses.

"Um . . ." She glances out the window and sees Sam inching by on the window ledge outside. "Holy crap!" She says and jumps in her seat.

"What?" The doctor asks and he turns to the window as a few pigeons fly off.

"I just remembered, when I was a kid, I swallowed like, eight things of pop rocks and then drank a whole can of coke, you don't think that that counts as a suicide attempt, do you?" She said fast and looked at him confused and gave a weak smile.

Sam and Ava head back to the hotel room with Scott's files, "Are you okay?" Sam asks.

"Am I okay?" She says dropping her purse on the table.

"Yeah."

"I just helped you steal some dead guy's confidential psych files. I'm awesome!" She laughs.

Later on Sam goes through Scott's files and tapes. He learns that the kid had migraines about a year ago, then learned he could do certain things, like if he touched something he could electrocute it if he wanted.

The Impala pulls into the parking lot and Faith sees Sam through the window of his room she sighs in relief. "Dean, there he is."

"Oh, thank god you're okay." Dean says looking at his brother. Sam moves aside, revealing Ava through the window. Dean grins, "Oh, you're better than okay. Sam, you sly dog."

Hope and Faith glare at him and Faith gets out of the car and slams the door, she bends down and look through the window at Dean, "I hope your brother enjoyed his nuts while he had them." She stood and headed for Sam's hotel room.

Dean looks at her as she walks away, "You don't think she's gonna hurt him do ya?" He asks Hope.

Hope raises an eye brow and looks at Dean, "Dude, did you not hear her? She's gonna castrate the bastard."

The recording continues that Sam was listening to, he is leaning over the table, looking more concerned.

"What else does the yellow-eyed man say?" The doctors voice came from the recording device.

"He has plans for me. He says there's a war coming. That people like me, we're going to be the soldiers. Everything's about to change…."Scotts voice fades off and the recording ends.

"He's not talking about us, right?" Ava asks.

"Yeah, I think he is."

"But how can we turn into that?"

"I don't –" Just then a loud knock came at the door. Sam walked over and opened it to see a very pissed of Faith. She punches him square in the nose and pushes past him over to Ava, she grabs her jacket and slams her against the wall.

"Ouch! Faith, what the hell?!" Sam yells, he see's Ava pinned and looking terrified. He pulls her off of Ava and Faith focus's all her attention on Sam.

"What the hell Sam!? You leave in the middle of the night for a quickie with her?!" She points to Ava. "all the way in Indiana!"

Sam gives her a weird look, then it clicks, "Oh, no, no. Faith, she's like me ok. The visions…."

"So this isn't what it looks like?" Faith asks.

"No…." He tilts his head back, "I think you broke my nose."

"Well you deserved it…" Just then the window above Sam's head shatters as it's hit with a bullet. He dives to the floor with Faith, shielding her body with his. Ava dives behind the bed and Faith grabs her, pulling her close to them.

"Across the street, Gordon is on a rooftop with a sniper rifle; he continues to take aim and fire at the motel room.

"What's happening?!" Ava yells.

"I don't know!" Sam says.

Just as Gordon is about to take another head-shot at Sam, Dean jumps him from behind. He kicks Gordon hard, then pins him down on his back, hitting him over and over again in the face. He grabs him by the collar.

"You do that to my brother, I'll kill you!" He yells.

"Dean, wait." Gordon manages to grab the rifle and slam it into Dean twice, knocking him out. He stands over Dean, panting and gushing blood from his lip. "If you even think about it, hes a dead man." Gordon says to Hope who has a gun pointed at his head. Gordon turns around and motions for her to put the gun down, she hesitates but does as he asks. He hits her across the face with the butt of the gun, knocking her out."

Ava, Sam, and Faith investigate the roof from which Gordon was shooting at them.

"Wait, I don't understand. Shouldn't we be talking to the cops?" Ava said.

"Trust me, that wouldn't do us much good." He kneels down and picks up a shell, "These are .223 caliber. Subsonic grounds, the guy must have put a suppressor on the rifle.

"Dude, who are you?" Ava says.

Faith looks around the roof top and doesn't see the Impala or any sign of Dean or Hope, she frowns.

"Oh. I just, uh, I just watch a lot of TJ Hooker." Sam says as He pulls out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Ava asks.

"My brother. I think we definitely need help."

"They are here with me, Dean and Hope, I don't understand they were just here…" Faith says and Sam gets a worried look on his face.

Dean and Hope are tied to a chair in an old cabin, and Gordon is holding the phone to Dean's ear along with a .45

"Hello?" Dean says. "Sam, I've been looking for you." He replies as he hears Sam's voice.

"Yeah. Look…"

"I know where you are."

"Yeah, how did you find me?"

"I talked to Ellen. Just got here myself. It's a real funky town. You ditched me, Sammy."

"Yeah I figured since Faith is here too, I'm sorry… Look, right now there's someone after me."

"What? Who?" Dean said glaring up at Gordon.

"I don't know, that's what we need to find out. Where are you?"

"I'm staying at, uh, 5637 Monroe St., why don't you meet me here?"

"Yeah. Sure." He hangs up, putting his phone away, looking worried.

"What is it?" Faith asks.

"They are in trouble. He gave me a codeword. Someone's got a gun on him."

"Codeword?" Ava asks.

"Yeah. Funkytown…..Well, he thought of it. It's kind of a . . .long story, come on."

"Now, was that so hard?" Gordon asks Dean.

He glares up at Gordon, "Bite me."

Gordon laughs and turns around, his back to Dean and Hope; he opens a canvas bag and starts pulling out weapons.

"So Gordy. I know me and Sam ain't exactly your favorite people, but don't you think this is a little extreme?" Dean asks.

"What, you think this is revenge?"

"Well, we did leave you tied up in your own mess for three days." Dean laughs, "Which was awesome."

"Yeah. I was definitely planning on whuppin' your ass for that. But that's not what this is. This isn't personal. I'm not a killer, Dean. I'm a hunter. And your brother's fair game." Dean looks at Hope then to Gordon, "And from what I heard through the grape vine, this little number is open season as well." He says pointing to Hope.

Dean looks at Gordon shocked, "You touch her and I swear to god…"

"What? You'll kill me?"

Sam, Ava, and Faith approach the cabin in Ava's blue VW beetle. "I don't think I should leave." Ava says.

"I want you out of harm's way, Ava." Sam tells her.

"What about you?"

"Harm's way doesn't really bother me."

"No, but you are walking right into my vision. I mean, this is how you die."

"Hold up, what? She saw you dying?" Faith says a little shocked, "Forget it Sam, you're not going in."

"Doesn't matter. It's my brother…. And your sister."

"Alright fine, I'll go in." Faith says.

"Maybe I could help!" Ava pipes in.

"You've done all you can. Just, just go back to your fiance." Sam tells her. "Go home, Ava. You'll be safe there." Sam and Faith get out of the car.

"Well, just, promise me you'll call, then. I mean, when you get your brother, just to let me know that everything's all right." Ava said out the window and Sam nodded.

They watched her drive away, "How's your nose?" Faith asked.

Sam grinned at her, "I'll live."

"Sorry by the way."

"For what, jumping to conclusions or punching me in the face?"

She sighed, "Both…look Sam, Ava's right, you shouldn't go in."

"I sure as hell am not letting you go in alone…now come on."

Gordon is leaning against a pillar, cradling a rifle and speaking casually. "See, I was doing an exorcism down in Louisiana. Teenage girl, seemed routine, some low-level demon. But between all the jabbering and the head-spinning, the damn thing muttered something. About a coming war. And I don't think it meant to, it just kind of slipped out. But it was too late. Peaked my interest. And you can really make a demon talk, you got the right tools."

"And what happened to the girl it was possessing?" Hope said.

"She didn't make it." Gordon said like it was no big deal.

Hope shook her head, "Well, you're a son of a bitch."

Gordon stands and walks over to her, stares at her for a moment and then slaps her hard across the face, "That's my momma you're talking about."

"Hey!" Dean yells.

Hope licks the blood seeping out from her now split lip, "Anyway. This demon tells me there are soldiers to fight in this coming war. Humans, fighting on hell's side…. You believe that? I mean, they're psychics, so they're not exactly pure humans, but still. What kind of worthless scumbag have you got to be to turn against your own race? And then it brings up this abomination, a demon crossed with an angel, you believe that? Angles…" Dean glares at Gordon as he goes on, "But you know the biggest kick in the ass? This demon said I knew one of them. Our very own Sammy Winchester and hope Remington.

Dean chuckles, "Oh, this is a whole new level of moronic, even for you."

"Yeah? Come on, Dean. I know. About Sam's visions. Hope immune to that croatoan virus. I know everything."

"Really? Because a demon told you?" Dean laughs, "Yeah, and it wasn't lying."

"Hey, Dean. I'm not some reckless yahoo, okay? I did my homework. Made damn sure it was true. Look, you've got your Roadhouse connections, I got mine. It's how I found Sammy in the first place." he crosses to the corner and sits, "About a month ago I found another one of these freaks here in town. He could deep-fry a person just by touching them."

"Yeah, did he kill anyone?" Dean asks.

"Well, besides Mr. Tinkles the cat? No. But he was working up to it. They're all going to be killers, Dean. We've got to take them all out. And that means Sammy too." He cocks the rifle. "And as far as Hope goes, I'm not 100% on her, or her sister. Not many people know about this demon-angel myth, but hey, I figure you can never be to0 careful."

Dean glares at him "You think Sam's stupid enough to walk through that front door?"

"No, I don't. Especially since I'm sure you found a way to warn him. Ha. You really think I'm that stupid?" Dean raises his eyebrows meaningfully; Gordon stands and starts pacing. "No. Sammy's going to scope the place, see me covering the front door, so he's going to take the back. And when he does he'll hit the tripwire. Then, Boom."

"Sam's not gonna fall for a friggin' tripwire."

"Maybe you're right. That's why I'll have a second one….." Hey, look. I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, i really do. But for what it's worth, it'll be quick." He looks at Hope. "and as far as your little girlfriend goes, execution style, nice and fast."

Hope gives Dean and worried look, "I swear to god I'm gonna rip you apart." Dean says to Gordon.

The sun falls and its starting to get dark now. Gordon is setting up a tripwire across the back doorway; he returns to the room where Dean and Hope are tied up and straddles a chair.

"Come on, man. I know Sam, better than anyone. He's got more of a conscience than I do, I mean, the guy feels guilty surfing the internet for porn." Dean says.

"Maybe you're right. But one day he's going to be a monster."

"Gordon," Hope says, "Gordon please look at me." He sighs and looks into her emerald like eyes, "Let us go, deep down you know you want to."

"I do?" He asked confused.

Dean looked at Hope, she was just as confused as he was, "Um…yes you do."

Gordon looks confused, "Yeah, I think I do."

"Good, you want to come over to me and cut the ropes…" Gordon nods his head and stands up, heading over to her, "You don't want to kill me or Sam, you want to let us all go. You never want to hunt again. In fact, your going to move far away from the US and…..Become a monk." He nods his head in agreement and is just about to cut her free when BOOM! A loud explosion shakes the building and Gordon looks around confused, he puts the knife back, and looks at Hope, he's almost afraid of her. He gags her. As the second grenade goes off, Dean struggles violently, choke-sobbing through the gag. Gordon crosses the room and stops beside him.

"Sorry, Dean." Gordon says.

He goes into the back room, rifle ready. He sees Sam's smoking boots on the ground; he smiles but is still wary. As he turns away from the back door, Sam raises a gun to the back of Gordon's head and cocks it.

Sam warns Gordon, "Drop the gun." Gordon hesitates, "Put it down now!"

In the front room, Dean turns, hearing Sam's voice, and grunts in relief. Out back, Gordon slowly lowers the rifle to the floor.

"You wouldn't shoot me, would you, Sammy? Because your brother, he thinks you're some kind of saint."

"Yeah? Well, I wouldn't be so sure." Sam says.

Gordon turns quickly, knocking the gun out of Sam's hand and attacking him methodically until he goes down. In the front room, Dean and Hope hear the scuffle and struggle against the ropes. Out back, Gordon slowly approaches Sam, who's flat on his back, coughing. Gordon pulls out his knife. "You're no better than the filthy things you hunt." As Gordon raises the knife, Faith hits Gordon over the head with the butt of a shotgun, not taking her eyes off of him, she grabs his jacket and pulls him up, throwing him against the wall. She glares at him, and for a second he swears he sees hellfire burning in her eyes. She throws a punch hitting him hard in the jaw. Gordon flops around for a minute knocking Faith down, he grabs his knife and is about it stab her when he hears a rifle cock.

"Do it. Do it! Show your brother the killer you really are, Sammy." Gordon yells.

Sam hesitates, meeting eyes with Faith, he then slams the butt of the rifle into Gordon's head, knocking him out.

Sam helps Faith up and they shuffle exhaustedly into the room where Dean and Hope are tied up; They struggle and grunt as they watch Sam and Faith approach. Sam claps him on the shoulder as he kneels beside him, untying the ropes. Faith unties Hope, Dean pulls off his own gag frantically, then pulls Sam up to standing. He cups his hand around Sam's neck, staring at him, and Sam claps a hand to Dean's shoulder. Dean pushes away and begins to stagger towards the back room. Faith helps Hope stand, each of them balancing the other.

"That son of a . . ." Dean starts.

"Dean. No." Sam says.

"I let him live once, I'm not making the same mistake twice."

"I agree, kill the bastard." Faith said.

"Trust me. Gordon's taken care of. Come on." He reaches out and fists Dean's jacket, pulling him towards the front door. Faith frowns but they follow them out.

They walk down the steps from the cabin and away from it; moments later Gordon emerges, a gun in each hand, and begins firing. They duck and run for cover.

"Come on! You call this taken care of?" Dean yells, They dive into a ditch by the side of the road and huddle, watching him approach. "What the hell are we doing?"

"Just trust me on this, all right?"

As Gordon approaches, three police cars, sirens blaring, pull into the clearing and surround Gordon. Cops emerge, weapons ready.

"Drop your weapons, get down on your knees!" A cop yells. "Do it now!"

They all grin at each other as Gordon drops to his knees. "Put your hands on your head. Easy now." The cop says, he cuffs Gordon and pats him down, then leads him to a squad car. Another opens the back door of Gordon's blue car and pulls out the weapons rack.

"Anonymous tip." Sam grins.

"You're a fine upstanding citizen, Sam." Dean says.

The four of them limp to the Impala and Dean grabs Faith's arm, "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" She looks on after Sam and Hope and nods her head. "Back there, Gordon claimed that Hope and possibly you were some kind of angel-demon hybrid…"

She gave him an odd look, "You gotta be kidding me right?"

"Wish I was…there's something else…Hope, she could almost control Gordon."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she told him that he really didn't want to hurt us and to let us go and he started to believe her…It's just odd."

She sighed, "We'll figure this shit out Dean, Gordon 's a nut job, don't worry about it." She said patting him on the shoulder, "Come on, its been a long day, lets hit the road." She turned and headed for the car, a worried look on her face. Dean sighed and followed her.

Dean and Hope got in the car and Faith was about to but Sam stopped her, he pulled her into him and hugged her tight, kissing her on the forehead. She hugged him back, excepting him to says something, when he didn't she got in the car and he followed.

"Hey Ellen its Dean." Dean said through his cell phone as he pulled out onto the highway. "Gordon was after Sam and Hope."

"Gordon Walker was hunting them?" She asked.

"Yeah, he almost killed us all because somebody over there can't keep their friggin' mouth shut."

"And you honestly think that it was me? Or Ash? Or Jo? No way."

"Well, who else knows about Sam? Huh? And who the hell made up this shit about Hope being some demon-angel or some shit. I mean, you must have been talking to somebody."

"Hey, you can say a lot of things about us. But we are not disloyal. And we're not stupid. We haven't breathed a word of this. And what about Hope?"

"Never mind that, Gordon said he had Roadhouse connections, Ellen."

"And this roadhouse is full of other hunters. They're all smart. They're good trackers. Each of them with their own patterns and connections. Look, hell, I could name twelve of them right now that are capable of putting this together. She sighs, "I am sorry about what happened, Dean. But I can't control these people. Or what they choose to believe."

Dean is driving, Hope and Faith are sleeping and Sam is on the phone, "Hey, Ava, it's Sam, again. Um, call me when you get this, just want to make sure you got home okay. All right. Bye."

"Everything all right?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"Well, Gordon should be reaching for the soap for the next few years at least."

"Yeah. If they pin Scott Carey's murder on him. And if he doesn't bust out."

"Dude, you ever take off like that again . . ."

"What? You'll kill me?"

Dean glares at him. "That is so not funny."

Sam laughs, "All right. All right. So where to next, then?"

"One word: Amsterdam."

"Dean!"

"Come on, man, I hear the coffeeshops don't even serve coffee."

"I'm not just gonna ditch the job."

"Screw the job. Screw it, man, I'm sick of the job anyway. I mean, we don't get paid, we don't get thanked. The only thing we get is bad luck."

"Well, come on, dude, you're a hunter. I mean, it's what you were meant to do."

"Oh, I wasn't meant to do anything, I don't believe in that destiny crap."

"You mean you don't believe in my destiny…."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Look, Dean, I've tried running before. I mean, I ran all the way to California and look what happened. You can't run from this. And you can't protect me."

"I can try."

"Thanks for that." Dean nods, "Look, Dean, I'm gonna keep hunting. I mean, whatever is coming, I'm taking it head-on; so if you really want to watch my back, then I guess you're gonna have to stick around."

"Bitch."

"Jerk." They both grin; Sam's smile fades and he frowns and picks up his phone again.

"You calling that Ava girl again?"

"Just a feeling. How far is it to Peoria?" he hangs up the phone.

They pull up to Ava's house and Sam and Faith get out of the car. They do their breaking and entering thing, with flashlights. "Hello? Is anybody home?" Sam asks. They go into the bedroom to find Ava's fiance dead, face-up on the bed; his shirt and the sheets are soaked in blood.

"Oh my god." Sam sighs.

Faith runs a finger along the windowsill, staring at the powdery substance collected there. "Hey. Sulfur. Demon's been here."

Sam sees something on the floor and kneels, picking it up. It is Ava's engagement ring, he stares at it in shock and hands it to Faith, she sighs at it and then looks back to a defeated Sam. They head out of the house and just before they reach the car Faith falls to her knees, gripping her heart with her hand, she lets out an agonizing scream. Sam runs over to her and Hope and Dean jump out of the car.

"Faith what is it?!" Sam yells.

Panicked, Hope runs over to her sister, they lay her on her back and she breathes in deeply with her eyes shut. She opens them, a flash of fire fills her sapphire like eyes and she sits up fast taking in a breath. She glances at Hope, worry on her face.

"What is it?" Hope asked, "Faith talk to me!"

"I saw….heaven…and…"

"And what?!" Hope said somewhat shaking her sister.

"A fallen Angel…"

Hope looked at Sam and whispered. "Lucifer."


	16. Happy Home

**Happy Home**

"There is no such thing as the devil." Dean said as they were driving to the nearest hotel.

"I honestly don't know what I saw; it just looked like what I think heaven would look like, and an angel falling from it." Faith said taking a drink of her flask. "I probably just ate something weird is all."

"Faith, you didn't see your face, you were terrified." Hope said.

"Whatever, can we just get to a damn hotel?" Faith asked and Dean accelerated, the Impala roared down the two lane road.

"You sure you should have another?" Dean asked Faith as he walked up to the bar and took a seat next to her.

"Hope send you?"

He shook his head, "Sam did. Hope said sometimes it's better to just let you sulk. Better for the messenger anyways."

The bartender walked over and looked at Dean, "What'll it be?"

"A beer." Dean said.

"And another shot of Jim, don't forget his buddy Jack, and pal Morgan." Faith said.

Dean looked at her, "Alright that's enough, I'm taking you back to your room." He reached for her arm but she forcefully pulled away from him.

"I'll go back when I'm good and ready!" She yelled at him, "What are you, my dad…." She said under her breath taking another shot.

"I get it ok, the job gets to everyone, all this jacked up shit with Hope and Sam, yeah its damn scary. I get it, but sitting her and moping about it, isn't gonna fix anything."

"No…but it sure does make me feel better." She tossed back her other two shots that were on the table.

"Faith…" She glanced up at him, "I know your scared alright, I am too. Trust me when I say I want to be right where you are right now, but I know I cant. I have to try and stay strong for Sam, hell even for you and Hope."

She sloppily looked up at him and rolled her eyes, "Your sharing your feelings…" she laughed a little but then her smile faded. "Yeah alright Dean, take me home."

Dean wrapped his arm around her waist and she put hers over his shoulder. He helped her out of the bar and into the parking lot, heading over to the Impala. She stopped just before they made it to the door, "Hey Dean…"

"Yeah…"

"Thanks man…for… ya know…"

He grinned, "Yeah, anytime."

The next morning came a little fast and Faith pulled the covers over her head as the sun crept in the window. She moaned and sat up to find Sam already dressed and staring at her. "Are we good? Or do we you know…have to talk?" She asked.

"Only if you want too…" Sam's voice was hopeful that she would.

"So were good…" She stood up and went into the bathroom, Sam sighing behind her.

It didn't take long before Sam and Faith were packed up and headed for Dean and Hope's room.

"Well hello, love birds!" Faith burst through the hotel room door, Sam following close behind her.

"GEEZE Faith!" Hope grabbed the blankets pulling them over her head; Dean smiled sitting up to face his brother and Faith.

"Morning!" He chimed. "What's for breakfast?"

"We'll give you two a few minutes" Sam lead Faith back out the door.

They were standing in front of the hotel, Sam leaning on the impala. "So when you guys leaving?"

"Trying to play cool aren't ya!" Faith smiled stepping closer to Sam.

"Nah, just gonna miss ya that's all." He grabbed her arms pulling her towards him leaning down to kiss her. Faith not wanting to lose herself and give completely in she pulled away after a few short moments.

Hope and dean walked down the stairs towards Sam and Faith. "What took so long?" Faith was getting tired of always waiting on her sister.

"Figured since we had five minutes." Dean was cut short from Hope backhanding him.

"We could help ya know." Sam looked between Faith and Hope.

"No, we got this; besides you two have a demon to track down.' Faith kissed Sam then slapped him on the ass; "Hope let's go." Faith climbed in to the cherry red ford waving to Dean.

"Well, I guess I'll see ya." Hope looked at Dean, not wanting the moment to get anymore awkward, no thanks to her sister.

"Uh, yeah, thanks…for trusting me." Dean looked at Hope tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, holding her face in his hands, he kissed her goodbye.

"You and Dean huh!" Faith looked over at her sister smiling. "I bet that wasn't disappointing!"

"Really Faith?" Hope rolled her eyes. "Can ya keep it in your pants?"

"Well, I was just trying to make conversation!"

"I don't know, he said I could trust him…I want to, but I'm not sure plus he's arrogant and ugh…I think I'm turning into you."

"Ha far from it sis. Ya know, people are often unreasonable and self-centered…forgive them anyway."

"Ya know for being such a hard ass, that was insightful."

"I'm a bitch Hope, not stupid!" They laughed as the Ford Mustang rolled down the highway. "So, any theories behind these deaths?"

"Not yet, twelve people dead within a week. I haven't found any connections. They were all well off; nice house, family, 401k. I don't see a pattern."

Driving through a small town in northern Colorado, the feeling of death was abundant. It looked like a ghost town, stores were closed and streets were empty; no one around for miles. They drove through town, turning towards the cemetery. There stood hundreds of people scattered throughout plots and headstones. Faith and Hope looked at each other, not sure what they were getting into.

"They buried them all at once?" Faith questioned Hope as if she held the answer.

"I..I don't know. Do we wait?"

"No, we need answers now."

The girls got out of the car, Faith in a pinstriped pant suit and Hope in a pencil skirt. "Is that my skirt?" Faith grabbed at it.  
"Not the time Faith." Hope smiled knowing how it irked her sister when she "traded" clothing. They spotted a squad car at the bottom of a hill.

"Agent Hetfield, This is my partner Agent Burton." Faith nodded at Hope, flipping open her badge. "We need to talk to a few of deceased family members."

The frumpy woman in a deputy's uniform looked at Faith and Hope with disgust; "These people are burying their loved ones. Can't you vultures wait?"

"Listen lady." Faith didn't like her tone.

"Uh, We know this will be hard for them ma'am, but the details are still fresh and we want to give these families closure, so they can heal." Hope glared at Faith.

"Yeah, ok." The deputy leading them to the families. "When you're done, we have a few more bodies at the morgue. You'll probably want to take a look at them too. Strange stuff."

"Geeze, why are cemeteries always on hills?" Hope was struggling in her skirt and stilettos.

"Karma's a bitch ain't she!" Faith laughed "You take those ones and I'll get that hotty who looks like he needs comforting!"

"Are you forgetting something?

"What?"

"Sam! You're boyfriend, besides I'm pretty sure a grieving widower is in no mood to flirt."

"Fine, I'll take rumplestiltskin over there. Meet me at the car in about an hour."

"Anything?" Hope looked at Faith leaning against the car.

"All I know is they were all happy. Victim number one just got a major promotion, rumplestiltskin's wife just hit the lotto and they were going on a cruise next week…wait who's that?" Faith looked across the cemetery to a lone woman in a flowing white dress.

"It looks like she's on her way to a toga party" Hope said locking eyes with the woman, sending chills down her spine. "Probably some broken hearted girlfriend who got lost at a frat party on her way here."

"Huh. I don't see a connection between anyone besides that they were all so happy and had amazing lives. Check mom and dad's journal."

Hope was looked through the journals on the way to the morgue. Honestly Faith, I have no idea what to be looking for. It's like these people were smited for being too happy."

"Well, let's look around before we decide there's nothing here."

As they were walking into the sheriff's office a tall brute of a man dressed in what looked like a gladiator skirt and a tight tank top with a cape walking towards them stopped them cold.

"Excuse me, I am looking for my…uh..cousin. Might you have seen her?"

"Halloween came a little early I see!" Faith grinned. "How was the drunk tank by the way?"

"Faith! Sorry we don't know your cousin. Good Luck!" Hope grabbed Faith's arm pulling her towards the door. "What a crack pot."

"He looked like the guy off that one movie…ugh what is it? I don't know…but he was hot!"

"Can we please get back to work!" They both laughed at the ridiculous man, straightening their faces as they walked through the doors of the morgue.

"Agent Burton, Agent Hetfield I presume?" The coroner reached out his hand to shake theirs suddenly realizing he was holding a spleen in it. "Oh! My apologies, but since you're here there was something I wanted to show investigators. Your colleague, Agent Morrison was here just a moment ago, just missed him." He put the spleen into a dish, picking up a heart. Hope and Faith exchanged confused looks.

"Grab some gloves" The coroner carefully cradled a human heart, slowly handing it to Faith. She handed it to Hope with a disgusted look on her face. "Do you see the symbol branded into the opening of the left ventricle? I've never seen anything like it; except for the past twelve autopsies."

"Who the hell is Agent Morrison and what does that symbol mean?" Faith stopped at her car door and flipped open her cell phone; "I'm calling Bobby on this one."

Hope nodded getting into the car. She too took out her phone dialing Dean. "Hey this is Dean, there's probably a reason I'm not answering. You know what to do." Annoyed that he didn't answer, she snapped the phone shut throwing it on the dash. Faith had ended her conversation with Bobby and landed in the seat next to Hope.

"Well, Bobby said it sounds like we're dealing with some type of God. He was in the middle of crap for Sam & Dean, so that's all I got."

"Well that's a start. Let's go get something to eat."

"Absolutely!"

Finding a diner that was open in the small town was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Inside they saw the man from the sheriff's office. They hurried through the doors to stop what looked like an angry man from ripping the place apart and giving the tiny red headed waitress a heart attack.

"I AM THOR! You peasant, show respect to thy and offer thy divine feast."

"Hey buddy," Faith shouted as the man whipped around to look at her. "Take it easy sketch, come have a seat." The man looked rather confused, but sat at the table anyhow.  
"I am Thor, son of Fjorgyn and Odin." He began

"Yeah yeah we heard you the first time, now are you going to order food like a normal person?" She tossed a menu at him, eyeing him up and down. His appearance was strange; he acted like he was from another universe.

"You said you were looking for your cousin, may I ask who she is?" Hope was trying to play shrink again to the odd man.

"She is a trouble maker, always bringing shame upon her family. I must stop her." With that the man got up from the table and walked into the street.

"Well, you sure do know how to get rid of people!" Faith laughed at Hope, who watched the man walk down the street with the goal of finding his cousin. "People in this town are weirder than usual."

"Yeah, they are a bit strange. I'm gonna look for any sort of info I can find. You enjoy that heart attack on a bun." Hope opens her laptop and searches for any information she can find on murdering Gods. "Hey, do you think that crazy guy, Thor, could have anything to do with this? I mean Thor is an actual Norse God…"

"Ha, Hope that guy was still buzzed from last night's frat party. He's not a lead."

"Well what about his cousin?"

"I don't know Hope, she probably got hammered and forgot where she parked her car, let alone where she was."

"No, I'm serious look at this Thor was the god of war, thunder and strength. Thor destroyed the enemies of the gods with his mighty hammer, Mjollnir; he was also the god of the household and of the common people."

"I still don't see where you are going with this."

"That woman he was going on about isn't his actual cousin, the woman we saw, she's more like mythological cousin…if that even makes sense…Nemesis!"

"Neme-what?"

"Nemesis, goddess of indignation against and retribution for evil deed and undeserved good fortune; she directed human affairs in a way to maintain equilibrium,. Happiness and unhappiness were measured out by her, if it got to frequent or excessive…"

"So she killed all those people because they were happy?"

"I don't know, how could these people be underserving?" Hope was looking through the newspaper articles when her phone rang. "It's Dean, here you answer it!" Hope tossed the phone to her sister.

"No, you're tappin that not me!" Faith tossed the phone back to her smiling. Her smile faded when Hope hit ignore. "What was that about?"

"I don't wanna talk to him right now. We…we need to focus on the case. "Hope stuck her nose back in the articles.

Pushing the papers down on the table, "Hope, first you continuously called him, and now you ignore his calls? What are you doing?"

"I'm not good at this whole relationship thing Faith."

Faith interrupted her before she could get any further. "Neither am I, but I'm clearly takin one for the team and making Sam and I work."

"That's the point; you never let anyone in, except me. I always do and the only thing I get in return is a broken heart. I don't want to go through that again and I'm pretty sure you don't want to put up with me when I'm like that again."

"Ha, yeah…I thought the monsters we ran into were scary…but you, you topped the cake!"

Hope and Faith left the diner in the midst of their conversation about the goddess Nemesis. The town still appeared abandoned except for the man who called himself Thor in the middle of the street, loudly talking to someone.

"Ok so this guy either forgot to take his crazy pills this morning or is actually holding a conversation with someone." Faith laughed scanning the streets.

"Hello Agents," A man's voice appeared behind them. "You are FBI agents correct?

Hope and Faith turned to see a man with scruffy hair in a suit, holding his badge out. "Agent Burton and my partner Hetfield;" Hope looked at him and for a moment got lost in his brown eyes that seemed endless. "We already got this place picked apart, we won't be needing your assistance anymore Agent Morrison."

"That's where you're wrong ladies, I've been assigned to this case and I intend to close it."

"Suit yourself pal, but we've got it handled." Faith turned, walking in Thor's direction. "Burton, let's go."

They walked up to Thor, looking around to see who or what he was talking to. Agent Morrison on their tail. Faith stopped to face him. "Listen pal, I said we got this, what part of that don't you understand?"

"I have been assigned to this case and I sure as hell am not leaving until I figure out what's going on around here." Morrison said sternly.

Faith flared out her nostrils but Hope intervened, "Easy now, we don't mind the help. Why don't you go talk with the sheriff and get some more information on these people. We have got to be missing something. We will go talk to McCrazy over there and throw him in the drunk tank…deal?" Hope asked the man.

He hesitated for a moment before agreeing, "Yeah alright, here's my card, call me if you figure anything out." Hope took it smiling.

Just as they were turning around to talk with Thor, Faith's phone rang, it was Sam. "Hey." She said.

"Hey, what do you know about hoodoo?" Sam asked, as they were off working a case of their own.

"Hoodoo? Not much why what's up?"

"Oh you know the usual, old mansion, mysterious deaths to whomever is trying to kick this family out. I'm sending you a picture, let me know what you think." It took a minute but the picture finally popped up on Faith's phone, she showed it to Hope.

"I know exactly what that is, it's a quincunx, that's a five-spot." Faith said, proud she knew something smarty pants didn't.

"A five spot?" Hope asked.

"Yeah its some powerful hoodoo, used to ward off enemies. What's it on?" Faith asked Sam.

"Its on a flower pot…"

"Fill that bad boy with bloodweed and you have one powerful charm." Faith said.

"Alright thanks."

"Anytime, hey you guys be careful."

"You guys to…" Sam paused unsure of the right way to say good bye.

"Peace out home slice." Faith said and hung up. Hope was giving her a weird look, "What?!"

"Peace out home slice? Really Faith?"

"Shut up." She said walking towards Thor, just before they reached him, and just as they were about to see who he was talking to, he was flung through the air, almost slamming right into them.

Hope ran over to Thor and Faith ran after whoever it was he was talking to but they were gone. Thor grunted and stood, He sighed.

"Easy there dude." Faith said to him.

"I am not a dude, I am a god, Thor god of-!" he began.

"Yeah, yeah, of war we know."

"You humans would not understand. I need to find my cousin before she constructs more damage."

Faith looked around; the town looked fine to her, "damage? Just what has she been doing?"

"Killing the people in this town, the ones who lived a fruitful life."

Hope and Faith locked eyes, "Alright bud, so lets say we do believe you, and you are some mighty god, whats your cousins name."

"Nemesis." Thor stated.

"Well isn't that just great. Looks like you were right Hope."

Before anyone else could say anything Morrison came running up to them, his gun at the ready. "Hands where I can see them! And you!" He said to Thor, "Hammer, where I can see it!"

"Tiny man!" Thor laughed as he raised his hammer, "Ladies behind me! I will protect you from this foul man!" He yelled taking a fighting stance.

"Wow, we don't need a Mexican standoff here. I think we're all a little confused." Faith said.

Morrison looked at her, "Who are you? Really! I know your not FBI, truth now!"

"Well if you honestly believe this is man here is really the god of war, then you must be a hunter as well." Hope said.

He looked at her a little confused but lowered his gun, "Wait, you two are hunters?" He carefully looked at the two.

"Umm…yeah, you are too?" Faith wasn't too sure of the guy.

"Yeah." He said putting his gun in the holster. "Names Chase Peirce." He put his hand out to shake Faith's, she looked at for a moment and then took it.

"Faith, my sister Hope, and you already know about the elephant in the room." She nodded in Thor's direction.

"elephant? I see no elephant…" Thor said looking around.

Faith looked at him raising an eyebrow, "Man you are sheltered."

"Do they have last names where you come from?" Chase asked.

"Yup." Faith said before Hope blurted it out. Chase waited for her to tell him, but she didn't.

"Alright then, you don't trust me?" He asked.

"I don't trust anyone but her." She nodded at Hope.

"Excuse me, but if we are all fighting on the same side, we must find Nemesis." Thor interrupted.

"Alright, I'll go with Chase back to the hotel and do some more research, you and Thor go track down Nemesis." Hope said to Faith.

"Can I talk to you for a sec." Faith said grabbing her sister by the arm. "What the hell are you doing? Your just gonna go off with some guy we just met, are you crazy?"

"I can handle myself, plus he's a nice guy, I can see it in his eyes."

"Oh my god, are you serious?"

"What I can."

Faith rolled her eyes, "Fine, but if anything happens to you I swear to god…"

"You'll kill me?" Hope said with a grin.

"Yes…"

"So how long you two been hunters?" Chase asked Hope as she flipped through pages in her journal. She glanced up at him over her book, he annoyed her.

"A long time."

"How'd you start?" He asked putting his elbows on his knees.

"Listen buddy I am not in a sharing mood. Bad things happened, people got dead, the end."

"Ok, sorry to intrude just trying to get to know you a little better."

She sighed, "Why?"

"It's a lonely life." He said staring at the ground. "I used to be married you know, she was pregnant with twins."

Hope studied his face, "So what? She left you cause of the job? Cant really blame her…"

He laughed a little… "I wish she had…she was killed by demons, the babies didn't make it."

Hope felted defeated, and like a bitch. He shut the book and sat on the bed next to him. "I'm really sorry, why is it that all hunters have this tragic story of why they are hunters?" She asked him.

"Probably because that's the only thing to motivate anyone to want to do this job is something bad happening to someone they love."

She sighed, "Yeah I suppose your right, my parents and little sister were killed by demons. I was only 10."

"Ten…you've been in this business for that long…how'd you manage?"

"My sister, she was my rock…still is."

He laughed, "Ha, yeah she seems like a hard ass."

"Nah, once you get to know her she isn't that bad." Hope sighed, "Alright, we should probably get to work on something here before Faith comes back and sees we have done a whole lotta nothing." She said standing up and heading for the door, "Sheriff's office?" Chase nodded and followed her out the door.

"Ah ha! There she awaits!" Thor said pointing to a woman in a toga in the cemetery.

Faith followed his gaze, "Seriously, the crazy lady from this morning." She ponders in her thoughts for a moment and Thor started heading over to the goddess. Faith stepped in front of him, putting her hands on his muscled out chest, "Whoa, easy there big fella, we don't even know how to kill her."

He looked down at the tiny woman, "Of course I know how, now step aside small woman."

She gave him a 'oh no he didn't look' "Excuse me!" He ignored her and walked over to Nemesis.

The goddess stood as he approached her, "Cousin, you have rebelled; now you must suffer the consequences." He said gripping his hammer.

"Oh please cousin, you were always the good child, always the favorite….how's Loki by the way?" She grinned mentioning his brother's name.

Ignoring her question he continued, "You have killed innocent people, happy people…"

"What can I say, I was bored."

Just then Faith trotted over, her pistol in her hand, "What's the plan Thor?" She asked him.

"Stay back fine lady, I can handle this." Faith gave him an odd look. Nemesis saw an opportunity and ran fast over to Faith, grabbing her around the neck and holding her close.

"Something's not right." Hope said hanging up her phone, "Faith always answers, come on I think we need to head to the cemetery."

"Why there?" Chase asked as they walked out of the sheriffs station.

"Earlier today we seen a lady there wearing a toga, figure since Thor is legit, maybe that woman was his cousin or whatever." She said opening the door to the mustang.

"Good thinking."

"Let her go Nemesis!" Thor yelled and the ground shook beneath their feet.

"Just back away and the girl lives, let me go Thor!"

"I cant do that…and you know it!"

Just then Chase and Hope came speeding up, Hope ran out of the car and over to Thor, Chase hot on her heels. "Faith!" She yelled.

"Stay back! She will kill her without a thought."

"That's my sister! I'm not just gonna stand here and do nothing!"

Thor put his hand out on her stomach to stop her, "I will save her, trust me." Hope searched his eyes, she didn't know why but she trusted this strange man. She sighed and nodded her head.

"You get my sister outta here Thor! Get her out!" Faith yelled from across the graveyard.

Hope locked eyes with her sister, she found fear in them, but not for herself, it was fear for her sister Hope.

Thor took in a deep breath and raised his hammer, "Get back.." he told Hope and Chase, "Far back." Chase grabbed Hope's hand and ran back and they kneeled down behind a headstone. Thor rose his hammer and hit the ground hard, before she had time to react Nemesis and Faith were hit by the force of the hammer, causing them both to fall down. Faith fell and hit her head on a headstone, knocking her out. Thor ran over to Nemesis and before it even started it was over. Thor rose his hammer one last time, striking her down. She locked her dying eyes with his, "Forgive me." She whispered, a few seconds pasted and she was gone, vanished into nothing.

Hope ripped away from Chase and ran over to her sister, Thor rushed over to her as well, she moaned and opened her eye. Thor knelt down beside her and lifting her up by the waist with one hand their eyes locked. It may have been the blow to the head but she seemed a little lost in his eyes.

"Are you alright my lady?" His deep raspy voice sent a shiver down her spine.

"Yeah…I'm good. Thanks for you know…saving me."

Hope ran over and wrapped her sister in a hug, Faith flinched from the pain in her ribs, "I thought I was going to lose you…don't you ever scare me like that again."

"Stop being such a-" Faith began but stopped when she seen the tears form in Hope's eyes, she really did think she was going to lose her sister.

"I'm sorry."

Chase trotted over, "I think we could all use a few drinks."

Later that night they were all at the bar, Thor included. To not make him stand out so much, Faith bought him a few normal clothes from a department store. "So what's the deal with this guy Chase?" Faith asked Hope as they were ordering some more drinks.

"I don't really know, he just got into the life after his wife and unborn kids were killed by demons."

"Tough break."

"Yeah, there's something about him though, I…I don't know just something I guess." Hope said and Faith gave her a weird look.

"What are you sweet on him?"

"No….I just…He's different is all." Hope said as the bartender gave them their beer and a few shots. They grabbed them and headed back over to the table where the boys where at.

"Enjoy." Faith said as she took a shot.

Thor grabbed a beer and took a drink, looking at the shot glasses, he picked on up and sniffed it.

"Take one, they are yummy." Hope said to him. He studied it for a minute and mocking Faith he threw it back. He coughed a little.

"Strong isn't it!" Faith laughed, she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket, she glanced at the collar idea, it was Dean. "Hey man what's up?"

"Not much, just making sure you kids were alright, haven't been able to get ahold of Hope…" He sounded a little hurt.

"All's fine Dean, we're just having some drinks."

"Yeah ok, we're about 3 hours out, I'll call you when we get into town."

"Sounds good, how did the hunt go?"

"Everything's good…"He herd Thor talking in the background. "You guys alone?"

"Nah some hunter named Chase and this god Thor."

"Wait…What, a god…?"

"It's a long story man, just when you think you've seen everything. Call me when ya get here." She hung up and looked at Hope who was laughing at everything Chase said. "Hey." She leaned into Hope, and whispered, "What the hell…"

"What do you mean?"

"You like this guy?"

"He's nice."

"That was Dean, they are 3 hours out."

"Their coming here?"

"I guess they just couldn't stay away."

They stayed and drank for about another two hours, they were all pretty well snockered. "Well, I best be heading back to sleep." Faith said glancing at Hope and hoping she would come with her.

"Allow me to take you there." Thor said standing.

Faith wobbled a little as she stood, "Probably a good idea." Thor wrapped his arm around her waist to help her walk, "You comin?" She asked Hope.

"I think I'm going to just hang out for awhile."

Faith shook her head, "ok…"

Thor and Faith went back to the hotel and Faith unlocked her room, she turned around to face the god. "Well hell thanks for everything."

"Of course." He stared at her for a moment and she leaned against the door frame, "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." His voice was soft.

She gave him an odd look, "Then I guess you haven't seen much for beautiful things…." She looked at the ground and smiled then back to him, he leaned in and kissed her. For only a moment she got lost in his embrace but she pulled away from him quickly.

"I am sorry…I" He began.

"No you don't have to apologize, it's just…" Her eyes veered to the ground and the sound of the impala roared into the parking lot. She glanced up and Thor turned around, Sam and Dean got out of the car. Faith got a strange feeling when she seen Sam, she was overjoyed to see him. She brushed past Thor and ran over to Sam jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, he smiled up at her and she leaned down to kiss him.

"What do ya say we get outta here?" Chase asked Hope, she smiled up at him and took a drink of her beer.

"Well what did you have in mind?" She flirted.

"We could go back to my place, nice cheap hotel with a great view of the highway." He leaned in and She could feel his breath on her neck, "Maybe order some cheap champagne." He whispered, sending a chill down her spine.

"Sounds good to me." She whispered back.

Thor stood back at the hotel door looking a little defeated, he could see how much she cared for this man. They walked over to him, "Sam, Dean, this Thor, and the actual God of war."

"Thunder and strength." He added in a stern voice.

"Good to meet ya chuckles." Dean said and Thor gave him a confused look. "Where's Hope?"

"Still at the bar with Chase."

"Oh, well I guess I'll head over there then." Dean said walking back to his car.

"Anyways, thanks again for everything. You need a ride somewhere?" Faith asked.

"I have my own means, thank you." Thor said. Sam could feel an awkward tension between the too so he headed over to talk to Dean before he left.

Faith felt even more awkward when he left, "Listen Thor…"

"You do not have to explain yourself, I can see how much that man means to you. It was wrong of me to put you in such a predicament."

She sighed, "Thanks, will we ever see you again?"

"I imagine we will." He reached out and embraced her in a hug, "Farwell Faith, be safe."

She pulled away from him, "Yeah you take care too." She watched as he walked away.

"So what do you think the deal is with Faith and that guy?" Sam asked Dean as they watched them.

"What? You a little threatened by the big man are ya Sammy? Never thought I'd meet anyone bigger than you." Dean teased as Faith bounced over to them.

"What's the deal with you and that guy anyways?" Sam asked.

"He was a little sweet on me I think….well I'm pretty sure actually."

"Oh yeah, what makes you say that? He didn't touch you did he?" Sam asked anxious.

"You could say that…he kissed me."

"What?!" Sam yelled.

"Easy there tiger, you don't have anything to worry about, hell if ya did I would have told you." Faith said wrapping her arm around his waist.

He sighed, not knowing why it got to him so much in the first place. "Yeah…I guess your right." Just then a car pulled up across the parking lot and Hope and Chase got out of it and headed for his roo,m, Faith was the only one who noticed.

"Um…You guys wait right here for a sec ok." She aid walking over to them.

"I was gonna go get Hope…" Dean said.

"No! No, just wait a sec ok…please…" She said over her shoulder and picked up her pace.

Faith didn't even knock on the door, she just went right in to find Hope locking lips with Chase, "Dude! What the hell! Dean is in the parking lot!"

"No I'm not…" Dean said from behind Faith. Hope turned around a little shocked. Dean stormed past Faith and threw a right hook at Chase, hitting him square in the face. He fell back, touched the blood coming from his nose and threw a punch at Dean. Hope yelled for them to stop but they just kept going. Faith felt a little protective over Dean so she grabbed Chase by the shoulder whipping him around, she punched him in the face causing him to fall on the floor. Sam ran in and grabbed Dean, stopping him from killing Chase.

"What the hell is going on?!" Sam yelled.

Faith flexed her hand, and winched at the sharp pain coming from her swollen knuckles. "I honestly don't know.

"I walked in to find this ass hat putting his lips on Hope!" Dean yelled.

"What?" Sam asked looking confused.

"Alright, alright, alright, everyone just calm down. Chase and Sam you two come with me, lets let Hope and Dean talk." Faith said picking Chase up off the floor.

"I think you broke my nose." Chase said.

"She gets that a lot." Sam said and Faith turned around to glare at.

Sam and Chase walked outside and Faith stopped next to her sister, "I don't know why your acting like me, but you need to figure your shit out now."

Hope sighed as faith left the room.

"You know what, I'm done." Dean said heading for the door.

"No Dean, please wait." Hope pleaded.

"Why?" He asked turning around to look at her.

"I'm scared…I am so terrified of getting hurt."

"So what your just going to do all the hurting now? Turn into me, or your sister?" He asked walking closer to her.

"I don't know Dean…Its so hard for me to trust people…I'm just…damaged ok."

"I've noticed." He walked past her and was about to walk out of the door when she grabbed his arm to stop him.

"I really screwed up…" she tried to hold back her tears but she couldn't, she really felt something for Dean. "Please….dont hate me…Just Dean…" She really began to cry now.

"Hope don't do that."

"I cant help it, I just…I feel like I'm falling in love with you and I'm trying so hard not too…"

He was taken aback at what she said, "What?"

"I don't want to fall in love again, and this is all happening so fast…I'm just scared."

He walked over to her and brushed the hair out of her face, "Just take a risk…If I'm worth it you will."

"So what is he, her boyfriend?" Chase asked whipping the blood from his face.

"Yeah you could say that." Sam said.

"Well shit."

"Listen man, here's my number in case you need any help down the road." Faith said handing him a piece of paper.

He took it looking at it, "Thanks, here is mine too." He grabbed a card from his pocket.

Faith looked at it and laughed a little, "really dude, you have cards?"

He smiled, "Yeah."

"I'm gonna go check on those two." Sam said.

Watching Sam leave Chase spoke, "Why me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why did she let me kiss her?"

"She must have seen something there otherwise she never would have. Hope is a confusing person."

"Most women are."

"I'm not, just ask my sister, I'm more like a dude that way."

He laughed some, "If only they are were."

Faith smiled, "If that was the case all people would be doing is having sex."

They laughed together.

"You guys good?" Sam asked peaking through the door.

"Yeah Sammy, we'll be alright." Dean said.

Sam looked at Hope, and he could tell she had been balling, "You ok Hope?" She smiled at him and nodded her head.

"Alright, well you guys ready to hit the road?" Sam asked.

"Yeah I think so, is Chase still out there? Cause I might kill him." Dean said.

"Yeah he is, but Dean, just let it go, it's not like he knew."

Dean reluctantly nodded his head.

They got everything out of the room and headed over to the Impala where Chase and Faith were waiting. "Sorry about, you know…" Dean said to Chase.

"No hard feelings." Chase said.

"Well we better hit the road." Dean said.

"Yeah me too." Chase glanced at Hope and smiled at her, "Guess I'll see you guys around." He winked at Hope and walked over to his car.

"Can I kick his ass now?" Dean asked Sam and Sam just shook his head.

"Alright well we will follow you guys out, to Bobby's? I really want some of that food he got from his new neighbor." Faith said.

"Yeah to Bobby's." Dean said.

Faith leaned up and kissed Sam on the lips and headed over to her car. Dean walked Hope over to the car and gave her a hug and a passionate kiss. He put his forehead to hers, "Please don't ever do that to me again."

She grinned, "Wont, I promise." He opened the car door for her and she got in. They followed the boys out of the parking lot.

Hope sat there for a moment pondering her thoughts, thinking about the goddess and all those happy people she killed. "Faith?"

"Yeah"

"Do you think we were too happy?"

"What are you talking about?" Faith looks over at her sister confused.

"Is that why Mom and Dad…were killed? Were we just too happy?"

Gripping the steering wheel tighter, Faith wonders herself; "We were never happy Hope." She looked back at the highway leaving her sister feeling defeated and hopeless.


	17. Born under a Bad Sign

**Born Under a bad sign**

"This is so NOT happening!" Hope yells as she chases after her sister.

"Oh it's happening! Where the hell are those two-" Faith yells back as a hand reaches out and grabs her, pulling her into a room.

"Fatih!" Hope yells and runs in after her to find Sam and Dean and four SWAT team members knocked out on the floor, "What the?"

"There's no time to explain, here put these on." Dean says handing her a bunch of black clothes. Four men in S.W.A.T. armor run out of the bank and through a leveled parking lot. They approach a car and get in; it is the Impala, and the four men, well two men and two women, its the Winchesters and the Remingtons. They get in and pull off their helmets and hats, panting heavily. Dean turns the car on and "Renegade" by Styk is playing on the radio.

"We are so screwed." Dean says as they pull out of the parking lot and out of town.

"Screwed?! I think that is a HUGE understatement Dean! Hendrickson is a frickin FBI agent and now his nose is out for us! Not only does he have our faces, he thinks we are some psycho killers!" Hope yelled.

"Just calm down ok, we'll figure this out…" Faith said.

"Yeah…" Sam said turning around in his seat to face Faith who was in the back, "How?"

It had been about a week since the bank robbery, the four had encountered a shapeshifter and some poor guy named Ronald who was convinced it was aliens. Either way at the end of the day Ron still ended up dead and the four of them are still wanted by the FBI.

"Alright, I think its time we crash, we've been on the road for forever." Dean said as he pulled into the parking lot of a hotel.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, I mean what if someone recognizes us?" Hope said.

Dean shakes his head, "We'll be fine."

Sam went in and got one hotel room with two beds, he came out with the key and they grabbed their stuff and headed for their rooms.

Faith walked in and through her bag on the floor, "I'm starving, Hope you wanna come with me to get some food?" She nodded her head, "You boys want anything?"

"Yeah, what you get and what Hope gets for Sam." Dean said with a grin.

Faith nodded her head, "Be back in a few." Dean through her the keys and they headed out.

"Hey I'll be right back, there's not any towels in the bathroom and god knows I need a shower." Dean said to Sam and Sam shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head.

"You really think we're screwed? I mean that they will find us?" Hope asked Faith as they were waiting for their food.

She thought about it for a moment, "I don't know, I mean they could. I have a feeling it will all work out. Don't worry about it."

"So how is Sam?" Hope asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean with the whole yellow eyed bastard."

Faith shrugged her shoulders as if not wanting to talk about it, "He doesn't talk about it much, and even if he did I wouldn't know what to say to him."

"You tell him that its all gonna be ok, that no matter what we are here for him and we will save him."

"But then I would be lying….or at least not telling the truth. I mean how do we know everything is going to be alright? How do we know he can be saved?"

Hope pondered that thought, as she had thought about it before many times, what would happen if the time came and they did have to kill Sam.

Sam is sitting alone in the dark, framed by the half-open door with the key askew in the lock. Dean enters and shuts the door behind him, towels in hand and a big grin on his face.

"Took me an hour but I finally got some damn towels!" Dean said

"Yeah. I saw." Sam said darkly.

"Cheer the hell up man!" Dean said.

"You're bossy…." Sam said with a giggle.

Dean looks up at him in surprise, "What?"

"You're bossy. And short." He laughs sloppily

"Are you drunk?" Dean asks then notices Faith's bottle of Jack in his hands.

"Yeah. So? Stupid."

"Dude, what are you thinking?"

Sam begins tearfully "That guy who hung himself. I couldn't save him."

"What are you talking about?" Dean asks confused.

"Back at that mansion, with that little girl and the hoodoo…I let him die…"

"You didn't know, you couldn't have done anything."

He shifts his gaze to Dean. "That's an excuse, Dean. I should have found a way to save him. I should have saved Ava too.

Dean approaches his brother, "Yeah, well, you can't save everyone, even you said that."

Just then Faith and Hope walk in the door with the food, they look around and see an empty six pack and a half drank bottle of Jack. They glance at each other and jump when Sam hits the table with his fists. "No, Dean, you don't understand, all right? The more people I save, the more I can change!"

"Change what?" Dean asks, the girls keep quiet, sit on the bed and watch.

Sam leans forward with his hands on his chest, "My destiny, Dean!"

"All right. Time for bed. Come on, Sasquatch." He leans over and hauls Sam up by the shoulders. "Come on."

"I need you to watch out for me." Sam says grabbing Deans face so he will look at him.

"Yeah. I always do."

"No! No, no, no. You have to watch out for me, all right? And if I ever turn into something that I'm not….You have to kill me."

Dean looks up and locks eyes with Faith, "Sam." He says in a dismissive voice.

Sam shoves Dean so he can face him. "Dean! Dad told you to do it, you have to."

"Yeah, well, Dad's an ass." Sam frowns in confusion, "He never should have said anything, I mean, you don't do that, you don't, you don't lay that kind of crap on your kids."

"No. He was right to say it! Who knows what I might become? Even now, everyone around me dies!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not dying, okay? And neither are you and neither are they." He points to the girls, "Come on. Sam."

He pushes Sam onto the bed, but Sam stays seated, reaching up and clutching Dean's jacket. Dean's right hand curls in the fabric at Sam's shoulder.

"No, please! Dean, you're the only one who can do it. I cant ask her too, don't make me ask her to do it." He glances over at Faith who was looking at him sadly, "Promise me."

"Don't ask that of me."

"Dean, please. You have to promise me.

"…I promise."

Sam reaches up and grabs Dean's face with both hands, "Thank you brother."

"All right. Come on." He bats Sam's hands away and shoves him back on the bed. Sam falls back, then turns over on his belly to plant his face in the pillow, hugging it with both arms. Dean rubs a hand over his face.

Morning came to fast and Dean and Sam were already awake, the girls still sleeping, "You know nothing changes what we talked about last night, Dean." Sam says to him

"We talked about a lot of things last night." Dean said pouring a cup of coffee for the two.

"You know what I mean."

"You were wasted."

"But you weren't. And you promised."

Dean shakes his head as he walks over to the little table…"Yeah Sammy, I know."

Dean is on his cell phone, leaning against his car. He is fidgeting, clearly upset.

"Ellen, it's me again. Any chance you've heard from him?...I swear, it's like looking for my dad all over again. I'm losing my mind here…No, I've called him a thousand times, there's nothing but voicemail. I don't know where he went, or why. Sam's just gone." His cell phone beeps and he looks at the screen, "Hang on." He press' send to connect to the incoming call, "Sammy? Where the hell are you? Are you okay?...Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Where are you? All right, don't move, I'm on my way."

Dean gets in the car, Hope in the middle and Faith in the passenger's side. "Where is he?" Faith asks.

"Twin Lakes, look it up on the map."

Dean drives to reach Sam, passing a sign reading TWIN LAKES; he arrives at the hotel and parks, gets out. The three of them walk frantically down a narrow hallway, checking door numbers until they reach room 109. He knocks.

"Sam, it's me. Sam!" Dean yells. He tries the door - it's open. Inside, Sam hasn't moved, still sitting numbly on one bed.

"Sam? Hey."

"Hey, Dean." Sam said quietly.

Dean sat down on the bed next to Sam and Faith rushed over to him, kneeling down in front of him, she searched him over, "Are you bleeding?" She asked in a panic.

"I tried to wash it off."

Faith opens Sam's jacket to find blood all over his shirt. She quickly pats him down searching for a wound. "Oh my god." Tears form in her eyes, she starts to breath heavy. A little unsure of why she was acting so hysterical.

"I don't think it's my blood…" Sam said still staring at the floor.

"Whose is it?" Dean asks.

"I don't know."

"Sam, what the hell happened?" Faith asked, he ignored her question, she asked him again a little bit louder but still nothing. "Sam!" She slapped him across the face.

Finally he looks up at her, "I don't remember anything."

Dean enters the room with Hope, carrying a grocery bag. Sam has changed clothes and is looking a little less out of it, Faith is sitting at the table staring at him. Something is on her mind.

"What'd you find out?" Sam asks.

"You checked in two days ago under the name Richard Sambora. Of course, I think the scariest part about this whole thing is the fact that you're a Bon Jovi fan." Dean said setting the bags on the table.

"Dean." Hope said seriously, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Your room's been quiet, nobody's noticed anything unusual." Dean said, answering his question.

"You mean no one saw me walking around covered in blood?"

"Yeah. That's what I mean."

"Then how the hell did I get here, Dean? What happened to me?" Sam said sitting down at the same table as Faith.

"I don't know. But you're, you're okay, and that's what matters. Everything else we can deal with."

"Oh really? 'Cause what if I hurt someone? Or worse?" Sam said running her fingers through his hair.

"Sam…" Faith said.

"What if this is what Dad warned you about?"

"Hey, whoa, whoa, come on man, let's not jump the gun here. We don't know what happened. We've just got to treat this like, like any other job. What's the last thing you remember?"

Sam leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, "Just me and you and the girls, just, in that motel room in West Texas, going out to grab some burgers, and...

"West Texas? That was, that was over a week ago." Hope says.

"That's it. Next thing I knew I was sitting here. Bloody. Felt like I'd been asleep for a month." Sam said leaning back.

"Okay. Retrace your steps. The manager said you left yesterday afternoon and he never saw you come back, so," Faith said walking over to the window and pulling back the curtain, she finds a bloody fingerprint on the window.

They walk out of the hotel room and into the raining day. "Recognize anything?" Dean asks.

Sam shakes his head but notices something, "Wait…I think I was here….it just feels familiar, you know?"

Dean shrugs, and goes over to the garage, Sam looks over to the second and points, "Try that one." Dean looks at the padlock on the gargage door and frowns, "Wait," Sam digs in his pocket, frowning. He pulls out a key, and gives Dean a significant look.

Dean opens the door and there's a blue car inside, they walk in and open all four doors. Sam wipes off the steering wheel and shows Dean the blood.

"This doesn't look good Dean." Sam says.

"Dean…" Hope says and points to something on the floor in the backseat, "There's a bloody knife back here."

Dean and Sam share a glance and Faith picks it up off the floor, and glances up at Hope, "Something is not making sense."

"You really think I did something to someone? You think I…killed someone?" Sam asks and Dean shakes his head.

Dean notices something under the front seat, it's a pack of cigarettes "Okay now, this is disturbing. Come on, man, this couldn't have been you. Had to have been someone else, someone who," He leans down and smells the pack, "smokes menthols."

The four of them pull up to a gas station and Dean glances at the gas receipt they found in the blue car. "All right. Receipt's for ten gallons at pump number two. You getting any, uh, any goosebumps yet? God, this looks familiar, deja vu vibes?" Dean and Sam shakes his head quietly, "Maybe someone inside will remember you. Come on." They go into the convenience store; the clerk looks up in shock, then anger.

"You. Outta here now, I'm calling the cops!" He yells and points at Sam.

"You talking to him?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, I'm talking to him. Jerk comes in yesterday, stinking drunk, grabs a forty from the fridge, starts chugging it!"

"This guy? You're drinking malt liquor?" Dean says looking at Sam.

"Not after he whipped the friggin' bottle at my head." The clerk says.

"Look, I'm really sorry if I did anything," Sam begins.

"Tell your story walkin', pal. Po-po will be here in five." The clerk says picking up the phone.

"Wait, wait, put the phone down. Sam, go wait in the car." Dean says.

"But Dean…"

"Go wait in the car!" Dean yells, Hope grabs Sam's arm and motions for him to follow her out. Sam sighs then leaves. "Okay, look, man. I just want to talk to you, that's it. Okay?" The clerk gives him a funny look then hangs up the phone, "Now, when he took off yesterday, where did he go?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

"'Cause he's asking you. Now please, you'd be doing us a huge favor." Faith said moving closer to the checkout desk.

"Oh, do you a favor? Well, that is what I live for. You know, your buddy didn't pay for the booze. Okay? Or the smokes, which he also illegally lit up."

"You saw him smoking?" Dean asks.

"Yeah. Guy's a chimney." Clerk said.

Dean clears his throat and pulls his wallet out, places some bills on the desk. "This ought to cover it."

"Hmm. It's, uh, it's coming back to me now. He took two packs."

Dean starts to pull out more money but Faith puts her hand over his, "You know what this is bullshit. I have a much eaiser way to get this ass face to talk." She quickly hopes over the counter and punches him in the face.

"Faith what the hell!" Dean yells

She grabs the clerk by the shirt collar and shoves him up against the wall, "Listen buddy, enough of your shit, tell us what you know, and tell us now."

Shaking the clerk begins, "He…he..He went north. Route 71, straight out of town."

Faith lets the man go and fixes his shirt, in a calm and happy voice she says to him, "Thank you."

Dean rolls his eyes, grabs two candy bars and leaves with a smirk.

Its night time now and Dean is driving down a dark road, Sam is staring out the window, as is Faith, and Hope is looking back and forth between the two.

"What's going on with you, Sam? Hm? 'Cause smoking, throwing bottles at people, I mean, that sounds more like Faith than you."

"Dude!" Faith says from the back, "Takes one to know one…"

Sam perks up a bit, "Dean, wait, right here. Turn down that road. I don't know how I know, I just do."

Dean turns down a back road and onto a private property. It is a large house with plenty of emergency lighting and security cameras outside.

"Whoever lives here, I'd say they don't like surprises." Faith says.

"Should we knock?" Hope asks as they get out of the car.

Dean shrugs his shoulders and knocks on the front door while Sam pokes around the corner.

"Hey Dean…."

Sam waves his flashlight at a window; it is broken, the ledge covered in shattered glass.

"I'm surprised the cops didn't show. Place like this you'd think it'd have an alarm." Faith said looking around.

"Yeah, you would." Sam says as he notices a disabled alarm on the wall.

They go into the house; the floor is covered in broken glass and scattered items. In a back room, they come across a body on the floor.

Hope turns the lights on as Dean kneels behind the body. He places a hand on it and turns it over; it is a middle-aged man with a deeply cut throat; he is dead, his eyes staring. Dean puts a hand over his own mouth; Everyone else looks horrified.

"Dean, I did this." Sam says. "I mean, how else do you explain the car, the knife, the blood…"

"I don't know, man, why don't you tell me?...Look, even if you did do this I'm sure you had a good reason; you know, self-defense, uh, he was, he was a bad son of a bitch, something." He pats down the man, "He doesn't have any ID."

Faith keeps staring at the locked closet in the room, she frowns at it and takes the lockpick from her pocket and opens the double-doors. Inside the room, one wall is covered in firearms, the others in charts and clippings…."either this guy's a Unabomber…"

"Or a hunter. I think I killed a hunter." Sam says.

Hope looks up and sees a security camera, "Let's find out." Hope sits down at the computer, "Dean get the camera down." Dean does as she asks and she connects it to the computer. "Here we go."

On the tape, Sam is fighting the same man who lies dead on the floor behind them. The fight moves off camera and Sam drags the man back into the frame; he kneels, the man pulled up against his legs, and slits his throat. Sam stares in shock as Dean pulls back from the screen and stands straight. Close on SAM, eyes downcast.

Faith frowns at the tape, sighs and paces towards the window.

"How do you erase this? Huh? Sam, come on, I need your help." Dean says looking at the computer dumbly.

"Here, move." Hope says pushing Dean aside. Faith is cleaning up the mess, trying to erase Sam from the room.

"I killed him, Dean. I just broke in and killed him." Sam says.

"Listen to me. Whoever this guy is, he's a hunter. Which means that other hunters are going to come looking for his killer, which means we've got to cover our tracks, okay?" Faith says sternly.

"His name was Steve Wandell. This is a letter from his daughter." He says holding up a piece of paper.

"Wipe your prints, then we go….How's it coming with that video Hope?" Dean asks her.

"Good, its gone, like Sam was never here.

"All right, we get a couple hours sleep and then we put this place in our rearview mirror. Look, I know this is bad, okay? You've gotta snap out of it. Sam, say something!" Dean yells as they walk into the hotel room.

"Just get some sleep and leave in the morning? Murder, Dean. That's what I did." Sam says.

"Maybe Okay? Hey, we don't know... shapeshifter!" Dean suggests.

"Oh, come on. You know it wasn't, you saw the tape. There was no eye flare, no distortion." Sam said.

"Yeah, but it wasn't you! All right? I mean, yeah, it might have been you, but it wasn't you." Faith says.

"Well, I think it was." He sits down on the bed, "I think maybe more than you know." He sighs For the last few weeks I've been having... I've been having these feelings." Dean gives him an odd look. "Rage. Hate. And I can't stop it. It just gets worse. Day by day it gets worse."

"You never told me this….you never told anyone this…"

"I didn't want to scare you."

"Well, bang-up job on that." Dean says sitting down at the table.

"Dean, the yellow-eyed demon, you know he has plans for me. And we both know that he's turned other children into killers before, too."

"No one can control you but you." Hope says taking a seat next to Dean.

"It sure doesn't seem like that, Hope, it feels like no matter what I do, slowly but surely I'm, I'm just becoming...Who I'm meant to be. I mean, you said it once yourself, Dean. I gotta face up to who I am."

"I didn't mean this!" Dean yells.

"But it's still true. You know that. Dad knew that too, that's why he told you, if it ever came to this . . ."

"Shut up, Sam." Faith said, "Just shut the hell up.

Ignoring her Sam continues, "Dean, you promised him. You promised me!"

"No. Listen to me. We're going to figure this out. Okay? I mean, there's got to be a way, right?" Dean says looking at Hope, as if she has the answer.

"Yeah, there is." Sam takes a handgun from his duffel and shoves it at Dean. "I don't want to hurt anyone else. I don't want to hurt you…any of you."

"You won't. Whatever this is, you can fight it." Faith says sitting on the bed next to him.

Sam beings to tear up, "No. I can't. Not forever. Here, you gotta do it."

They stare at each other for a long moment; then Sam grabs Dean's right hand and places the gun in it. Dean doesn't move, just stares as Sam in shock.

Faith glances at the gun, "Dean…"

"You know, I've tried to hard to keep you safe…."

Sam nods, "I know."

"I can't. I'd rather die." Dean says.

Dean stands and drops the gun on the bed and shoulders past Sam.

"No. You'll live." Sam picks up the gun as Dean turns to face him. "You'll live to regret this." He pistol-whips Dean, who falls to the floor unconscious. Hope rushes over to Dean and glares over at Sam in confusion.

Faith jumps off the bed and reaches for her gun that is supposed to be behind her back, but its gone, "Looking for this?" Sam asks her.

"What the hell Sam?!"

Sam grins and steps closer to Faith, pushing the barrel of the gun hard into her chest, "I should kill you right now…But daddy wouldn't like that…"

Faith gives him an odd look and he hits her across the face with the gun as well.

An insistent knocking begins during and Dean awakens to realize that he is on the floor of the motel room; the motel manager, who has been knocking, opens the door.

"Hey. It's past your checkout."

Dean gets up groggy and whips the blood from his mouth, "what?"

"It's past checkout, and I've got a couple here needs your room."

Dean sits on the bed, noticing Faith on the floor. He glances up and sees an embarrassed businessman with a hooker. "Yeah, I'll bet they do. What time is it?"

"Twelve-thirty."

"That guy who was with me, have you seen him?" Dean asks.

"Yeah, he left before dawn in your car and that other girl you were with, and you should have gone with them, because now I'm going to have to charge you extra." He notices Faith on the floor, "Is she ok?" Dean mutters something, "It's just policy, sir."

"I need to use your computer." Dean says holding up some cash.

"Meet me in the lobby." The manager leaves and the couple wait outside for Dean to leave.

Dean kneels down next to Faith, hoping she's still alive. "Hey, Faith…" He rolls her over and she moans wincing at the pain. She has a huge bruise on the whole left side of her cheek. "Damn it Sammy."

"What the hell happened?" She says as he helps her to her feet.

"I'm not really sure, but we need to go."

"Wait, where's Hope…and Sam?" She asks looking around the room.

"I'll explain later.

In the lobby Dean is on the phone, "Hi, uh, so sorry to bother you, but uh, my son snuck out of the house last night and, uh, went to a Justin Timberlake concert…..What? Yeah. No, Justin is quite the triple threat. Uh, anyway, he's not back yet, and, and I'm just, I'm starting to worry…Right. Yeah, boys will be boys. But see, Sammy is a diabetic, and uh, if he doesn't get his insulin, I just, I have to find him. Please, I'm begging you. Yeah, no, no, no, I"m on the web site right now, I just need to activate the GPS in his cell phone…Yeah, right there. Duluth, Minnesota. Yeah, that is a long way to go for a concert. I appreciate your help." He says hanging up the phone.

In a closed bar Sam is tying Hope up to a wooden post, and she slowly starts to wake up. "What the hell is going on? What are you doing?"

"So what exactly did your mom tell you dad?"

"You're not Sam…." She says staring at him. "Where's Dean, where's my sister…Sam?!"

Sam grins, "Don't be so sure about that. Answer the question."

She says nothing; Sam sighs heavily and goes around to the other side; he sits in front of her, leaning in, his expression shifting to one of open concern. He pulls out a large knife and strokes her face with it.

"Come on. It's me. You can tell me anything, you know that. Answer. The question."

"I don't know what your talking about…"

"Oh yes you do, I know for a fact mommy dearest told you a little something about your real father…"

She gave him a strange look, "All she told us is that our real dad was a good man, but he had long since passed."

"Hmm. Not quite." Sam says with a grin as he moves over to the bar and sits on a stool.

"What do you mean?"

Sam laughs, "You really don't know do you…I bet your sister doesn't either…"

"Know what?"

Sam grins and moves back over to Hope, he leans in close to her smelling her neck, "You see, your dad, you and I could almost be family." She gives him a confused look, "Your father, is my father, in a sense. Does Lucifer ring any bells?"

She gasped "You're lying."

"I'm not, it's true." Sam starts to sing quietly, "My daddy is your daddy…"

"Even if that were true, and even if I was stupid enough to believe you, how could you possibly know that?"

Sam sighs and fidgets with the knife in his hands; he stands and stabs the knife into the pillar, just above head level. "I know a sister when I see one."

Hope takes in a breath, "Why are you doing this to me?"

Sam grins at her and just then Dean and faith bust through the door.

"Sam!" Dean yells.

Sam grabs the knife from the pillar, his calm expression shifting to one of desperate panic, and places the knife at Hope's throat.

"I begged you to stop me, Dean."

"Put the knife down, damnit!" Dean yells.

"I told you I can't fight it! My head feels like it's on fire, all right?! Dean. Kill me, or I'm going to kill her. Please. You've be doing me a favor! Shoot me." He turns to Face Dean arms spread, "Shoot me!"

"No, Sammy, come on." Dean says lowering the gun and turning away from Sam.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Dean? Are you that scared of being alone that you'd rather let Hope die? The woman you claim to love?"

Hope turns suddenly, flinging water from a flask at Sam; the water hisses and steams as it strikes him.

"That's holy water, you demonic son of a bitch!" Faith yells.

Sam raises his head; his eyes are the solid black of a demon's. Dean flings more holy water at him; Sam growls, turns and runs, bursting through a window and fleeing. Faith takes the knife and cuts Hope free; she pulls the gag out of her mouth as Dean runs towards the shattered window.

"He was possessed?!" Hope says and Dean turns and stares at her for a moment, then leaps through the window. "Dean!"

"Damn it!" Faith yells. "Are you ok?" She asks Hope

"Yeah, I'm fine, what the hell happened to your face?"

"Sam hit me with a frickin pistol that's what."

"Ow…"

"Tell me about it, come on lets go find these two."

"Why didn't you kill us? You had a dozen chances." Dean yelled throughout the warehouse.

"No, that would have been too easy. Where's the fun in that? See, this was a test. Wanted to see if I could push you far enough to waste Sam. Should have known you wouldn't have the sac. Anyway. Fun's over now." Sam yelled back.

"Well, I hope you got your kicks. Because you're gonna pay hell for this, I'm gonna make sure of that."

"How? You can't hurt me. Not without hurting your little brother. See, I think you're gonna die, Dean. You and every other hunter I can find. One look as Sam's dewey, sensitive eyes? They'll let me right in their door."

Sam runs and Dean follows out of the warehouse. Dean stands there for a moment looking around when Sam shoots Dean, hitting him in the shoulder. Dean collapses into the water with a splash; Sam stalks to the edge and peers over where Dean fell; he smiles.

The girls are walking quickly through the docks, a flashllight in Hope's hand and a cell phone in the Faith's; she's calling Dean, and his voicemail picks up. Faith hangs up the phone with a sigh and continues searching. Moments later she calls again, and this time hears 'Smoke on the water' Dean's ringtone coming from below them, by the water. They run down to where he is lying unconscious at the bottom of a ramp.

"Dean! Dean!" Hope yells and he wakes with a groan. "Take it easy."

Shuddering and groaning in pain Dean talks, "Where's Sam?"

"I don't know, I've been looking for you. Come on, get up." Hope tells him and helps him to stand, and he leans on her heavily, clutching his shoulder, as they walk back to the bar.

Dean is seated at a table, gripping the edge with his right hand as Hope digs the bullet out of his left shoulder. He's groaning loudly.

"God, Don't be a baby!" Faith tells him

"Almost. All right, got it. Got it." Hope says pulling the bullet out. She drops the bloodstained bullet in a glass of clear alcohol. Dean takes a few healthy swigs from a bottle of whiskey.

"God, you're a butcher." Faith says examining the wound. Hope glares at her.

"All right, are we done?" Dean says standing.

Hope shoves him back in his seat, "Would you give me two minutes to patch you up? You can't help Sam if you're bleeding to death." She continues layering gauze and tape over the wound. "So, how did you know? That he was possessed?"

"I didn't, I just knew that it couldn't have been him."

Hope frowns, "Hey Dean…"

"Yeah?"

"I know demons lie, but do they ever tell the truth too?"

"Yeah, sometimes, I guess. Especially if they know it'll mess with your head. Why do you ask?"

Faith gives Hope a glance and Hope shakes her head, "Nothing. Doesn't matter. So do you have any idea where he's headed to next?"

"Well, so far he's been going after the nearest hunter, so . . . closest one I know lives in South Dakota."

"Bobby…" Faith says.

"I'm done. Let's go." Hope says wiping her hands off.

"Yeah….You're not coming." Dean tells Hope.

She puts her hands on her hips, "The hell I'm not."

"Hope please just stay here with Faith." Dean pleads.

"Hey now hold on a sec, since when am I not coming?"

"Cant you please, for me just stay here. I don't need your blood on my hands."

"That bitch tried to kill my sister and did this to my face." Faith says pointing to the huge bruise; "I owe it an ass kicking."

"If you try to follow me…"

"Yeah, yeah, you'll kill us. Tough shit boy we're comin with you." Faith says as she pushes past Dean and heads for the Impala.

"Man she's bull headed." Dean says to Hope.

"Ya think?" She says helping him to the car.

It's raining out as Dean drives down a long dark stretch of road. "Call Bobby." Dean says.

Hope dials his number but the line wont connect. "It wont go through…"

"Damn it."

Sam walks slowly up the steps to the house and knocks on the door. It's opened to reveal: A grinning Bobby, "Sam!"

"Hey Bobby."

"It's been a while. Well, come on in." Bobby tells Sam and he enters slowly, glancing at the ceiling, and Bobby shuts the door behind him. They walk together into Bobby's study, which is dimly lit and covered wall to wall with stacks of books and papers.

"So what brings you?" Bobby asks.

"Working a job nearby, and thought I'd stop in and say hey."

"Well, where's Dean and the girls?"

"Held up somewhere with Hope and a twelve pack. Faith, I don't know where she ran off too."

Bobby heads to the kitchen to grab some beers, leaving Sam alone in the dark. Sam eyes the ceiling again.

Bobby comes back in and gives a bottle to Sam, "Well, it's good to see you." He raises his bottle, "To John."

Sam grins, "To Dad."

They toast and swig the beer, Sam turning to look up at the ceiling again; as he swallows the beer he chokes suddenly, falling to his hands and knees and hiss-coughing painfully. Bobby sips his beer, unconcerned.

"What'd you do?!" Sam chokes out.

"A little holy water in the beer. Sam never would have noticed. But then, you're not Sam are you. Don't try to con a con man." Bobby says with a grin and slams his fist into Sam's face, knocking him out.

Sam is tied to a chair, before a fire and under a Devils Trap. Dean smacks him in the face to wake him. "Hey!"

Sam looks up, and sees the painted Devil's Trap. "Dean. back from the dead. Getting to be a regular thing for you, isn't it? Like a cockroach."

"How about I smack that smartass right out of your mouth?" Faith says walking over to Sam and bending down to his level.

"Oh, careful, now. Wouldn't want to bruise this fine packaging." Sam says.

"Oh don't worry, this isn't gonna hurt Sam much." She turns and picks up a bucket, "You on the other hand." She tosses a bucketful of holy water on Sam, who sizzles and screams. "Feel like talking now?"

"Sam's still my meat puppet. I'll make him bite off his tongue."

"No, you won't be in him long enough. Bobby." Dean says.

Bobby beings the exorcism "Exorcisamus te, omnes in mundus spiritus

omnes satanica potestas, omnes incursion…" He keeps going as Dean talks.

"See, whatever bitch-boy master plan you demons are cooking up? You're not getting Sam. You understand me? Because I'm gonna kill every one of you first." Dean says.

Sam struggles painfully, then throws back his head and cackles. Bobby stops in surprise.

"You really think that's what this is about? The master plan? I don't give a rat's ass about the master plan."

Bobby clears his throat and continues, "Humiliares sub potente magnu dei..."

"Oops. Doesn't seem to be working. See, I learned a few new tricks." He lowers his head and begins growling Latin. "Spiritus in mundus un glorum suarum umitite palatum iram domine ..."

The fire behind him flares and the room shakes as he continues.

"This isn't going like I pictured! What's going on, Bobby?" Dean says.

Hope sees a burn mark on Sam's forearm, "It's a binding link! It's like a lock! He's locked himself inside Sam's body!" Hope yells over the racket.

"What the hell do we do?" Faith asked.

"I don't know!" Bobby yelled.

Sam throws back his head and screams; the shaking walls and ceilings begin to crack, breaking the protective circle. Sam eyes are black as he lowers his head. "There. That's better." He jerks his head left; Bobby and Hope go flying. He jerks his head right; Dean and Faith go flying, landing heavily against the far wall. The holy water flask falls from Dean's hand. Sam rips free of the restraints and stalks over to Dean.

"You know when people want to describe the worst possible thing? They say it's like hell." Sam kneels in front of Dean and glances at a knocked out Faith, fisting his left hand in Dean's shirt and clocking him hard with a right jab. Dean grabs onto Sam's shirt with his right hand. "You know there's a reason for that. Hell is like, um," He hits Dean again, "Well, it's like hell. Even for demons." He hits him again; Dean is groggy and bleeding heavily from his nose. "It's a prison, made of bone and flesh and blood and fear;" Sam keeps hitting him; then grabs Dean's head, holding it steady. "And you sent me back there."

Dean sneers at him, "Meg."

"No. Not anymore. Now I'm Sam." He hits him one last time; then digs his right thumb into Dean's bullet wound. "By the way. I saw your Dad there - he says "howdy." he digs in further; Dean tries to pull Sam's hand away, groaning in pain. "All that I had to hold onto was that I would climb out one day, and that I was going to torture you, nice and slow. Like pulling the wings off an insect. But whatever I do to you, it's nothing compared to what you'll do to yourself, is it? I can see it in your eyes, Dean. You're worthless. You couldn't save your Dad, and deep down you know that you can't save your brother. They'd have been better off without you."

Sam rears back to hit Dean again; but suddenly Hope and Bobby are there, grabbing Sam's arm. Hope presses a hot poker into the mark on Sam's arm; he screams in pain, then again as black demon smoke billows out of him and up the chimney. Sam falls back, scrabbling and looking around in confusion, then grabs his arm in sudden pain. Dean pulls himself up painfully.

"Sammy?" Dean asks.

"Did I miss anything?"

Dean rears back and right-hooks Sam in the cheek, then rolls his eyes and collapses. Sam grabs his cheek in confusion.

Faith moans and sits up, rubbing her head, she glances around the room and clearly notices she has missed a lot. She lays eyes on Sam, rushes over to him and gives him a right hook. He holds his cheek in confusion.

"That's for hitting me in the face with a gun…." She leans in and kisses him passionately, "and that….well that's for everything else."

Sam is sitting behind Bobby's table with an icepack on his arm, Faith is next to him with an icepack on her pace. Dean is on the other side of the table groggily holding an icebag to his face, and Hope rolls her eyes at all three of them…"Babies…" She mumbles under her breath.

"By the way, you really look like crap, Dean." Sam says.

"Yeah, right back atcha."

Bobby walks in the room looking concerned, "What is it, Bobby?" Hope asks.

"You boys ever hear of a hunter named Steve Wandell?" Bobby asks.

"Why do you ask?" Dean says.

"Just heard from a friend. Wandell's dead. Murdered in his own house. You wouldn't know anything about that."

"No sir, never heard of the guy." Dean says.

"Good. Keep it that way. Wandell's buddies are looking for someone or something to string up, and they're not going to slow down to listen to reason. You understand what I'm saying?" Bobby says.

"We'd better hit the road." Dean says standing.

"Here. Take these." Bobby says and hands each of them a small metal charm. " These are charms. They'll fend off possession. That demon's still out there; this'll stop it from getting back up in you." Bobby says.

"That sounds vaguely dirty, but uh, thanks." Dean says.

Faith hands hers back to Bobby, "Hope and I don't need these, give them to someone who can use them." Bobby looks at her confused and she pulls back her sleeve to reveal her tattoo. "Plus I am pretty sure we, or me, are not protected by them anyways." She says and Dean shoves his elbow into her side.

Bobby stares at her for a moment, and outs the charm back in her hand, "Take them anyway."

"Thanks." She says.

"You're welcome. You all be careful now."

Dean is driving down a dark stretch of highway; over the radio REO Speedwagon's "Back on the Road Again" plays. Sam is frowning quietly, and Dean glances over in concern.

"You okay? Sam? Is that you in there?" Dean asks.

"I was awake for some of it, Dean. I watched myself kill Wandell with my own two hands; I saw the light go out in his eyes."

"That must have been awful." Dean says.

"That's not my point. I almost carved up Hope too. But no matter what I did, you wouldn't shoot."

"It was the right move, Sam, it wasn't you." Dean said.

"Yeah, this time. What about next time?"

"Sam, when Dad told me that I might have to kill you, it was only if I couldn't save you. Now, if it's the last thing I do I'm going to save you."

"There's something else Dean, its about…" He turns around to make sure the girls were sleeping. "its about Hope and Faith…"

"What about them?"

"That demon told Hope that her real dad was the devil…"

Dean shakes his head, "That's crazy, there is no such thing."

"It wasn't lying Dean…I could tell."

Dean pauses for a moment and changing the subject he laughs.

Sam gives him a weird look, "What?"

"Dude, you, you like, full-on had a girl inside you for like a whole week." He laughs again, "That's pretty naughty."

Sam frowns for a second before he laughs with Dean.


	18. What is and What Should Never Be

**What is and What should never be**

"Dude, there's a cop car outside." Faith said as she pulled back the window curtain and glanced out the window.

"You think it's for us?" Hope asks, glancing up from her book. She's sitting on the bed and trying to read an old mystery novel.

"I don't know…."

"I don't see how, I mean we ditched the plates, the credit cards…." Dean said setting a six pack of Bud on the table.

Faith watches as the cop car drives away and she lets out a breath in relief, "They're leaving. False alarm."

Dean grins, "You see. Nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, being fugitives? freaking dance party." Sam pouts.

"Hey man, chicks dig the danger vibe." Dean says glancing at Hope, "Am I right or am I right?" She rolls her eyes at him and keeps on reading. Faith shrugs her shoulders and flops down on the bed next to Hope, laying her head on Hope's lap. She shuts her eyes for a moment, just to relax.

Sam is sitting at the table, a stack of books in front of him with several of them open as well as their dad's journal, it is open on a demon called Dijinn.

"So, did you get anything?" Sam asks looking up at Dean who was opening four beers and putting some pizza on a plate.

"Are you kidding me? How could I? You had me sifting through like 50 square miles of real estate."

"Well, that's where all the victims disappeared."

"Yeah well, I got at least squat. What about you?" Dean asks Sam handing him a beer and a plate of pizza. He heads over to the girls and does the same, setting himself next to Hope. Faith sits up and smiles at the sight of food.

"Just one thing. I'm pretty sure of it now." He pulls his dad's journal to him and looks at it before holding it up for them to see. "We're hunting a Djinn."

"A freaking genie?" Dean says through bites of pizza. Sam nods his head, "What? You think these suckers can really grant wishes?"

"I don't know. I guess they're powerful enough. But not exactly like Barbara Eden and the harem pants. I mean, Djinn have been feeding off people for centuries. They're all over the Koran." Sam explains.

"My God. Barbara Eden was hot, wasn't she? Way hotter than that Bewitched chick…" He grins and Hope rolls her eyes.

"Are you even listening to Sam?" Hope asks.

"Yeah. So uh, where do the Djinns lair at?"

"Ruins usually. Uh. Bigger the better, more places to hide."

"Yeah, I think I saw a place couple miles back out at the real estate… I'm gonna go check it out." He says getting up from the bed.

"No, not alone." Sam says.

"I'm sure it's nothing. I just wanna take a look around."

"Well hell, I might as well come with you…"faith says as she finishes off her beer. "These two are boring when they have their noses in a book."

Sam sighs in agreement, "Yeah…sorry about that. You should have someone go with you." He says to Dean.

"Well its settled then!" Faith says slipping on her knee high stiletto boots.

Dean shakes his head, "How do you even walk in those things, let alone run?"

She grins, "It's a gift…" She hugs her sister before heading over to Sam, ever since Sam had been possessed she was a little different. Like hugging Hope every time she left her, and kissing Sam like she would never see him again. It was a good thing though, she was become a little less hard and little more soft.

Dean leaned over and kissed Hope on the lips, "See you soon." He whispered to her.

"You better." She said back.

"Oh for the love of god come on! You will see him in an hour." Dean said grabbing Faith by the arm and dragging her out the door.

They pull up to an empty warehouse and get out, arm themselves and walk in. Dean looks back and forth in it a few times, and then starts walking back the same direction they came from but this time in the hall. Faith walks the other way. Suddenly this thing attacks him, pinning him against the window wall. He drops the flashlight and the Djinn holds his other hand that contains the knife up against the wall, slams it a few times and Dean drops the knife. The Djinn opens it's left hand and it begins to glow in blue, his eyes do the same. It puts it's glowing hand on Dean's forehead and his eyes roll up as they become washed-out blue. Faith hears the commotion and rushes to Dean.

Dean is lying in a living room and a TV is showing an old black and white movie. Dean wakes up and sees a woman lying next to him…a woman that is not Hope.

Dean slowly gets up, trying not to wake the sleeping woman, he walks over to the phone and dials Sam's number.

"Dean?" Sam asks.

"Sam?"

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. I don't know where I am."

Worried Sam asks, "What? What happened?"

"The uh, the attacked me."

"The gin? You're.. drinking gin?" He asked confused.

"No, asshat. The Djinn. The uh, scary creature. Remember? It put it's hand on me and I woke up next to some hot chick….Is Faith with you? And uh…lets not tell Hope about this k?"

"Whose Faith, what about Hope?" Sam asked confused, "You mean Carmen?"

"Who?" Dean asked,

"Dean, you're drunk. You're drunkdialing me." Sam says.

"I'm not drunk. Quit screwing around!"

"Look, it's late. Alright, just get some sleep and I'll.. see you tomorrow. Ok?" Sam says.

"Wait, Sam! Sam!" He yells but he has already hung up. He sighs and dials Hope's number and it is out of service. He tries Faith. She answers. "Faith! Thank god, I thought I was really losing it. Where are you?"

"Who is this?" She asks.

"What do you mean, its Dean…"

"I don't know a Dean."

"Are you freakin kidding me!"

"Listen buddy screw off, don't call me again." She hangs up.

He stares at his phone for a second, as if it will speak to him. He sighs and snoops around the apartment. He picks up an envelope adressed to:

CARMEN PORTER

53 BARKER AVE LAWRENCE,

KS 66044

"Lawrence?" Dean says to himself. He looks around some more and the next two envelopes are adressed to Dean, same adress as Carmen's. "What the hell?"

"Honey? What are you doing up?" Carmen asks.

"Hey Carmen. Carmen, uh, I just uh.."

"Aw, you can't sleep, huh?" He nods his head, "Well, why don't you come back to bed and lets see if I can do anything to help."

"Sure. Yeah. In a minute. You-you go ahead."

Carmen smiles "Ok. Don't stay up too long."

Dean picks up a photo and looks at it in shock, he drops it and grabs his jacket as he heads outside. He sees he Impala and grins. Dean drives up in the Impala across the street. Shuts of the engine and goes over and it's the old Winchester house from his childhood. Dean hesitates a smile, he gets out and heads for the door. There, he starts banging on the door. He rings the bell two times as well. The porch light turns on and the door opens.

"Dean." Mary says as her eyes adjust to the light. Dean just stares at her for a few seconds, not believing his eyes. His voice is broken when he talks to her, on the verge of crying.

"Mom?"

"What are you doing here? Are you alright?" She reaches out and warmingly puts her hand on his arm.

"I don't know mom…"

"Well.. come inside." Dean comes in and Mary closes the door. He can't take his eyes of her. "Carmen just called and said you just took off all of a sudden."

"Carmen? Right.. Let me ask you a question. When I was a kid, what did you always tell me when you put me to bed?"

"Dean, I don't understand –"

In a hard voice, "Just answer the question."

"I told you angels are watching over you."

"I don't believe it." He walks over and hugs her real tight.

"Honey, you're scaring me." Dean lets go of her, "Now just tell me what's going on."

"You don't think that wishes can, can really...Forget it." He hugs her again, "I get it. I'm just uh.. I'm happy to see you, that's all." He almost starts crying but pulls it together and releases the hug, looking down on Mary. "Hey when I was uh.. When I was young was there ever a fire here?" He asks walking towards the wall, looking at the books and pictures.

"No. Never."

"Huh, I thought there was." Dean's eyes fall on a picture of John and Mary smiling with Dean and Sam as little kids in front of them. "I guess I was wrong." Dean smiles as he looks at all the picture, there's him and his prom date, clearly taken at prom. Another of Sam as a graduate. Dean picks up another picture. It's in black and white and shows John, dressed in baseball clothes with a cap and a baseball bat in his hand, ready to swing, smiling at the camera. Dean says to himself, "Dad's on a softball team."

"He loved that stupid team."

"Dad's dead? And the thing that killed him was a..."

"A stroke. He died in his sleep, you know that." Mary says confused.

"That's great." Mary looks at Dean strangely "That he went peacefully, I mean. That.. that sure beats the alternative."

"You've been drinking."

"No, I haven't. Mom."

"Just gonna call Carmen and have her come pick you up, ok?" She reaches for the phone.

"No mom," He puts his hand over hers. "Don't-don't do that. Don't do that. I wanna stay here. I miss the place. It's ok, you-you got to bed. Ok?"

The next morning Dean tries to call Sam again, getting a voice mail he hangs up and tries Hope, still out of service. He frowns, hesitates and calls Faith. Voicemail. He sighs hanging up the phone. He leaves the house and gets in his car, driving to the local college.

"I don't think I have ever seen you in my class before." The professor says.

"You kiddin' me? I love your lectures. You.. You make learning fun." Dean says and they laugh.

"So, what can I do for you?"

"What can you tell me about Djinns?"

The professor walks over to his mini library in his office and skims the shelves before taking one out and heading back over to Dean, "A lot of Muslims believed the Djinn are very real. They're mentioned in the Koran."

"I know. Get to the wish part."

"What about it?"

"Do you think they could really do it?"

"Uhm... Uh, no. No I don't think they can really do it. You understand these are mythic creatures?" The professor said looking at Dean confused.

"Yeah, I know. I know. But uh.. I mean in the stories. You know. Say you had a wish but you never even said it out loud. You know, like that ah.. that a loved one never died. Or that ah, something awful never happened."

"Supposedly, yes. I mean they have Godlike power. They can alter reality however they want. Past. Present. Future."

"Why would the Djinn do it? It was self-defense? Or maybe it's not really evil."

"Son?" Dean looks at him, "You been drinking?"

"Everybody keeps asking me that. But uh.. No."

Dean opens the trunk to the Impala and he sees only old magazines and paper cups and a rag in there, no guns or what have you. He laughs, "Who'd a thought, baby. We're civilians." He tells his car. He closes the trunk, and looks over at the building. Dean looks around and sees a woman who he thought was Faith, but her hair was cut in a bob and it was a dark auburn instead of blonde. He looks at her for a little while and then starts to cross the street, walking towards her. She hits the walk button and waits at the stop light. Dean yells her name but she doesn't respond. He walks over to her and taps her on the shoulder; she turns around and looks at him.

"Hey, Faith…"

"Yeah…do I know you?" She asks.

"Its me…Dean…"

She stares at him blankly, "Sorry pal, I don't know any Dean."

"Cut the crap, look I think the Dijinn did something to us, erased out memories or something, well except mine…."

She wrinkles her eyebrows and interrupts him, "How do you know about that?" She asks in a serious voice.

"What do you mean how do I know, I was there with you!"

"No, you know about Dijinn's, that their real, that means you're a…."

"Hunter, yeah."

She looks at him a little worried, as if she's ready to fight for her life, "Whatever buddy, I have to go." She almost turns to leave but his next words stop her.

"No wait, please, where's Hope…where's your sister?"

She stops dead in her tracks and slowly turns to face him, "My sister's dead…" She says blankly.

"What?" Dean says shocked. "How, when?"

"You know…the job."

"Listen Faith, you have to believe me here…"

"Save it Dean, I'm not interested in running off to help you with your Dijinn problem alright. I have places to be."

"Wait…" He reaches out and taps her shoulder again.

"Back the hell off!" she yells at him and turns to leave again, this time he grabs her arm, forcing her to turn around. She stares at him with fierce eyes, Dean takes a step back as if he's afraid of her. "What part of back the hell off did you not understand?" She says through grinding teeth.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asks quietly.

"A lot happened to me Dean, I lost everything I ever cared about, and when I got revenge on the bastard who took it from me, I still felt empty and alone."

"The Yellow eyed demon…"

She gave him a weird look, "How did you know….Who are you?"

"You killed him? With the colt…"

"What, no…I killed him the same way I kill all other demons." She pointed to her head, "Course he was a bit harder." She leaned in closer to Dean, "I'm not right Dean, there's something not…I don't know, human about me."

"Why are you telling me this?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "You seem harmless, in fact rather pathetic, now if you'll excuse me, I need to go."

"Please wait…" he started to run after her but she snapped her fingers and something through him back on the sidewalk. He sat up fast and Faith glanced over at him with a grin.

"What the hell is going on…"

Dean heads back to his moms house and is sitting on the steps to the front porch, drinking a beer. A car drives up outside the yard. "I don't believe it." He gets up to go greet Sam and Jess who's getting out of the car. Dean attacks Jess with a hug while Sam takes out the luggage from the trunk."Jessica…."

"You're uh... Good to see you too, Dean." Dean laughs. "Can't breathe." He frowns and lets her go.

"Sammy." Dean smiles big, "Look at you. You're with Jessica, it's- I don't believe it….Where'd you guys come from?"

"We just flew in from.. Califor-"

"California! Standford. Huh? Lawschool, I bet." Dean says excitedly.

Sam motioning to the beer in Deans hand, "I see you started off mom's birthday with a bang as usual."

"Wait. Mom's birthday, that's today?"

"Yeah. Yeah, Dean. That's today. That's why we're here. Don't tell me you forgot." Sam says as he brushes past Dean and into the house, Jess behind him.

Dean sighs and looks across the street to see a girl in a white dress and dark long hair, she's pale and sickly looking. He begins to walk over to her, but a car drives in front of him and she disappears. He sighs.

They are all at a nice restaurant and the waitor brings out the food and sets Dean's in front of him, "Wow, that... looks awesome." He sighs.

"I was really worried about you last night." Carmen says.

"I'm ok, really."

"Ok, maybe when we're done we can go get some cheeseburger." She smiles at him and leans in and kisses him. When she pulls away from him he cant help but think how weird it felt…how not right it was.

"Alright. Jess and I actually have another surprise for mom's birthday. Ah.. You wanna tell 'em?" Sam says

"They're your family."

Sam hold up Jess's hand with an engagement ring on it, Mary smiles happily. "Oh my God! That's so wonderful." She gets up and hugs Jess, who's also gotten up.

Everyone says their congratulations and Dean hugs Sam, when he pulls away Sam is staring at something, Dean look over his shoulder to see Faith at the bar. "Who is that?"

"Why…do you know her?" Dean asks

"I feel like I do…" Sam shrugs it off and gets back to Jess.

Dean sighs and is about it sit down when he sees Hope waiting table, he walks over to her and taps her shoulder, "Hope…"

She turns around smiling, "Yeah…"

He tries not to cry, "I thought you were…"

"Do I know you?"

He shake his head, "No, I, never mind. Sorry for bothering you." Dean turns around and sees the girl in the white dress, she is looking worse off than before. Dean rushes over to her, brushing past his family but by the time he reaches her she is gone. He turns around and looks at his family, as they stand looking at him, wondering what's up.

They all pull up to the house and head in, Dean is about to but stops as he sees Faith leaning up against a tree in the yard, she too is looking pale. "Are you coming in?" Carmen asks him.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." He tells her and brushes past her and over to Faith. Carmen frowns at the woman before heading inside.

"I thought you said your sister was dead…."

"She is Dean…or at least everyone needs to think she is."

"What does that mean huh?" He asked impatiently.

"I couldn't risk losing her too alright! After…" She pauses needing to take in a breath, "I made a deal…"

"With a demon, Faith come on!"

"I made a deal, that she would be outta this life, she would forget about me and everything bad that ever happened to her…it's the only way I know she's safe…and has a shot at a normal life." She held herself up against the tree and tried to catch her breath, she felt as if she was 90. "Dean I think I…" She collapsed in his arms. He looked down at her in panic before lifting her up and running her into the house. The ladies had already gone to bed, and Sam was waiting to talk to his brother.

"Dean, what the?" Sam asked as he ran into the house.

"She just collapsed…" he laid her on the couch.

"That's the girl from the bar…" Sam said.

Faith took in deep breathes as she lay there, She reached up and grabbed Dean by the shirt collar, "Hurry Dean….or we're both gonna die." Her hand fell and she began breathing short.

"What hell does she mean by die?" Sam asked, "Who is she?"

"I don't have time to explain…" Dean said covering her up with a blanket and then standing to face Sam.

"Well make time, you know Dean this is just like you, going out with some chick, getting yourself into trouble and me having to bail you out."

"Sammy we're brothers…"

"Yeah you keep saying that, like when you stole my ATM card, or should up drunk at my graduation." Dean frowned, "We're not close, we don't talk outside of holidays, and honestly, I am better off without you in my life." Sam says. "Wait, Dean…I didn't mean that…"

Dean shakes his head, "Yeah, right…" He turns to Faith and picks her up. "I have to go…"

"Where?"

"You wouldn't understand, but I have to save her, and hopefully when I'm done with that, we can work on being brothers again…"


	19. This life I live

**This life I live**

Dean hung his head low as he stopped at the door, his whole life had been turned upside down, the woman he loved didn't even recognize him and Sam hated him. If he never became a hunter, he never would have met Hope. Faith would have turned into some sort of monster, and Dean, well Dean was a lowlife who stole from his little brother. How is it possible that the normal life he yearned for was a nightmare? What if he was stuck in this alternate reality forever?

"Look Sam…"He said turning around when the TV reporter caught his eye, "Turn that up…"

"What, Dean…"

"Just do it!"

Sam walked over and turned the volume up, "And today marks the anniversary of the crash of United Britannia Flight 424." She said in her best news reporter voice. "Indianapolis residents held a candlelight vigil in memory of the hundred people who lost their lives…"

"No no. I stopped that crash…." He said. "here, take her." Dean said placing Faith in a hesitating Sam's arms.

Dean grabbed a laptop that was sitting on the counter and quickly found case after case that he and Sam had solved, some of which the four of them had. All of them now, ended in tragedy. "No…"

"Dean what the hell is going on? I think she needs a hospital, her breathing is becoming heavier."

Dean gets up to leave when he hears Faith mumble something, he moves closer to her, "D…Dean. Can you hear me? I don't know if you can hear me…

"I can hear you Faith…I'm here…" He picks up her hand in his.

"I feel like your right here, close to me, but your so far away…."

"I'm right here, its gonna be ok, alright. Your gonna be fine and our gonna go right back to your sister do you hear me?"

"I..I'm not going to make this one, tell Sam I…..love him….watch out for Hope, t..t….tell her how…sorry I am." She chokes out and her eyes roll in the back of her head.

"Dean what is she talking about?"

"I have to go somewhere, put her in my car."

"I'm coming with you…"

"No, your not…"

"Dean, you may not be perfect but your still my brother."

JOHN E. WINCHESTER 1954-2006 LOVING HUSBAND & FATHER REMEMBERED FOREVER, read the gravestone that Dean knelt in front of, Sam and Faith were in the car, faith fading with every second.

"All of them. Everyone that you saved, everyone Sammy and I saved. They're all dead. And there's this woman that's haunting me. I don't know why. I don't know what the connection is, not yet anyway. It's like my old life is coming after me or something. Like it like it doesn't want me to be happy. Course I know what you'd say. Well, not the you that played softball but…So go hunt the Djinn. He put you here, it can put you back. Your happiness for all those people's lives, no contest right? But why? Why is it my job to save these people? Why do I have to be some kind of hero?" He beings to cry while talking, "What about us, huh? Mom's not supposed to live her life. Sammy's not supposed to get married. Why do we have to sacrifice everything, dad….It's..." the sky starts to rumble. Tears begin to falls on Dean's cheek, "Yeah.." he sighs and heads back to the car.

"So what now?" Sam asks as Dean starts the engine.

"You think I'm crazy don't you…that I have lost it completely."

Sam smiles, "A little yeah, I mean have you heard yourself lately?"

"Right…"

Sam looks down on a bag on the seat between them. "What's in the bag?"

"Nothin'."

"Fine." Sam grabs the bag and opens it.

"You don't wanna do that." Dean says.

Ignoring him Sam takes out what was in the bag. It's a container of blood. "Blood?! What the hell is it doing in here?"

"You don't really wanna know."

"No I-I do really wanna know. I really, really, do…."

"Yeah, well you're gonna find out sooner or later. I needed a silver knife dippen in lambs blood."

"You needed a silver knife dipped in lambs blood, why?

"Because there's this creature. A Djinn. And I have to hunt it." Sam gives him a strange look "It's the truth, Sam. Alright, there are things out there in the dark. There are bad things. There are nightmare things. And people have to be saved and if we don't save them, then nobody will."

"Look, I wanna help you, alright. I-I really really do, but you're having some kind of psychotic breakdown so.. just-" Sam picks up his phone and starts dialing a number. Dean rolls down his window, grabs Sam's phone and throws it out and then rolls it up again.

"What the hell was that, Dean? That was my phone!"

"I'm not going to a rubberroom, Sammy. And we've got work to do."

"I was just trying to protect you Dean."

Dean laughs, "You protect me? Ha! That's hilarious. Why don't you just sit tight and try not to get us both killed."

Hours later Dean pulls up to the same warehouse he seen the Djinn, he looks over at Sam who is asleep. Faith in the back still breathing heavy. He picks up his flashlight and shines it on Sam's face and he wakes with a start.

"Where are we?"

"Well, we're not in Kansas anymore." He smiles at Sam and Sam stares at him blankly, "Illinois."

"And you think something's in there?"

"I know it is."

Dean leaves Faith in the backseat of the car and the head into the building flashlights in hand, "See? There's nothing here, Dean."

Dean starts walking down the hallway, same way as last time when he got attacked. Sam closely follows behind.

"Look, Carmen's gotta be worried sick about you, Dean. Come on, let- Let's just go."

"Shh!" they hear something and Sam starts to get scared.

"What the hell is that?"

"Stay behind me and keep your mouth shut."

Dean and Sam enter into a huge room, there are bodies hanging in the room and there is a drained blood bag hanging next to them. "What the hell?" Sam asks.

Dean looks further to the right, and there is the woman in white he saw earlier, she to is hanging like the bodies. They approach her and there's another blood bag next to her, filled with blood. Her eyes are open and she looks pretty dead. "It's her."

"Dean…." A voice whispers, and he jerks the flashlight in the direction the voice came from. Its Faith, she is hanging the same as the others, but she looks different, she is the same as he remembers her.

He rushes over to her, "Faith! Hey can you hear me?"

Sam looks at the bag and at her writs that are tied, just like the others. She begins to make more sounds."

"Dean, what's going on?"

"Shh!" Dean says grabbing his arm.

The Djinn is coming out, he creeps up behind the woman but when he gets there the guys are gone. Faith quickly drops her head so he thinks she is sleeping.

The woman begins to cry, "Dad!" She yells, and in a quiet voice, "Dad where are you?" She looks up at the Dijinn, "Don't." She moves her feet away from the Djinn.

He reaches out and touches her face, "Sleep." Some blue flares go over her cheek as he strokes her. His eyes glow bright blue. "Sleep." He hisses.

Her head falls forward, eyes still open and her feet relax, falling forward again. The Djinn rests his face against her arms, touching her right arm and breathing heavily, eyes closed. He then goes for the blood bag, pulls out one straw and puts it to his mouth, drinking her blood.

Sam coughs in disgust as he drinks her blood, the Djinn turns around right away, eyes flash blue and he begins to move towards their hiding place. When he gets there, the guys are gone.

"This is real! Your not crazy are you?!" Sam asks trying to catch his breath.

"She didn't know where she was, she thought she was with her dad…What if that's what the Djinn does? It doesn't grant you a wish, it just makes you think it has." Dean says walking past Sam and in the opposite direction of the woman. He looks up at a light bulb and it starts to flicker in brighter light. Dean gets a flash of himself hanging like the women; in front of him is the woman in white and Faith, along with the two dead bodies. Dean gets a little trouble breathing, realizing what is really going on. "What if I'm like her? What if I'm tied up here someplace? What if all this is in my head?" He walks up to the woman and to Faith, "I mean it could, you know, maybe it gives us some kind of supernatural acid, and then just feeds on us slow."

"No. Dean, that doesn't make sense. Ok?"

"What if that's why they keep appearing to me? She's not a spirit. And Faith, what she said back at the house…she said that here…It's it's like more and more like I'm catching flashes of reality. You know, like I'm in here somewhere. I'm I'm catatonic, and I'm taking all this stuff in but I, but I can't snap out of it."

"Yeah ok, your right and I was wrong, but we need to get out of here." Sam says grabbing Dean and pulling him to the door.

"I don't think your real."

"Dude, you feel that?" He starts to grab Dean by the arms, "You feel this? I'm real. This is not an acid trip. I'm real, and that thing is gonna come down here and kill us for real. Now please."

"There's one way to be sure." He says looking back at Faith, "Its an old wives tale, if you about to die in a dream, you wake up for ral."

"No! That's crazy. Alright?"

Dean has a determined look on his face, "Maybe." He would never forgive himself for letting Faith die, letting himself die, and leaving Sam and Hope alone.

"This isn't a dream, alright. I'm here, with you, now. And you're about to kill yourself, Dean."

"No, I'm pretty sure. Like, 90% sure. But I'm sure enough." Dean says as he turns the knife on himself, takes both his hands to the handle, ready to thrust it into himself.

"WAIT!" Sam yells as Mary walks up next to Dean, in the same nightgown as she died in. Behind Sam, Carmen appears. "Why'd you have to keep digging?" Jessica appears to stand next to Sam, "Why couldn't you have left well enough alone? You were happy."

"Put the knife down, honey." Mary tells him.

"You're not real." He begins to cry, "None of it is."

"It doesn't matter. It's still better than anything you had." Mary says. "It's everything you want. We're a family again. Lets go home."

Dean shakes his head, "I'll die. The Djinn'll.. will drain the life out of me in a couple of days."

"But in here, with us. It'll feel like years. Like a lifetime. I promise. No more pain. Or fear. Just love and comfort. And safety. Dean, stay with us. Get some rest."

"You don't have to worry about Sam anymore. You get to watch him live a full life." Jess says.

"We can have a future together. Have our own family. I love you, Dean. Please." Carmen says.

"Why is it our job to save everyone? Haven't we done enough?" I'm begging you. Give me the knife."

Dean steps away from him, walking backwards, "I cant be selfish, I love someone who doesn't even know me here…"

"Dean…" Hope says as she walks out from behind Sam.

"Hope…" He says in surprise.

"We can be together Dean, you and I…Have a normal life."

Tears fall from his face as he looks into her eyes, "I'm sorry." He thrusts the knife into himself, blood immediately comes out of his mouth.

"Dean! Dean!" Sam yells, he is shaking Dean who is hanging just like all the others, eyes open, blood bag hangs next to him. "Oh God. Come on." Sam shakes him, "Wake up. Wake up, damn it!"

Hope runs over to Faith and cuts her down, Faith falls in her arms. She's barely breathing.

Dean grunts a little, and his eyes begin to focus on Sam. "Ahh.. Antie Em. There's no place like home."

"Thank God. Thought I lost you for a second." Sam says pulling out the tube in Dean's throat.

"You almost did."

Sam sighs and reaches up and starts to cut through the rope as Dean winces over the pain and grunts a little. Dean sees bright blue eyes next to Sam in the shadows, and the Djinn comes out. "SAM!" Dean yells.

Sam turns around, going to the Djinn with the knife. The Djinn gets the upper hand on Sam as Dean tries to free himself. The Dijinn has Sam by the throat and moves his hand to his forehead, but Sam has a hold of his wrist, trying to stop him. The Djinn opens his fist and blue light begins to appear around his hand, like it did when it got Dean. When it's hand is almost at Sam's forehead Hope thrusts the knife into the back of the Djinn, turns it and the blue light go out of its eyes. It closes its eyes, head rolls down and when Hope pulls out the knife, it falls to the ground dead. Sam breathes heavily from being strangled and Dean doesn't look too good.

They walk over to the girl in white, who is still alive. They cut her down, "I gotcha. I gotcha. We're gonna get you out of here, ok? I gotcha. I got you." Sam says as he takes her.

Sam turns around to see Hope rocking back and forth on the ground, holding Faith. He rushes over to them and gently lays the girl down, Dean limps over too. Tears fall from Hopes face, "She's dying Sam, she's not gonna make it."

Sam glances at Dean, as if he has an answer to save her. Dean gives Sam an apologetic look.

"Hello boys…" A man says from behind them, they whip around to see a British guy in a suit.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Names Crowley." He said glancing down at Faith.

"What the hell do you want?" Dean asks.

"Dean Winchester, in the flesh…Look mate I'm a crossroads Demon and frankly it is in my best interest to-"

"We're not making a damn deal with you to save her." Dean yells.

"Consider this a favor…" He says snapping his fingers, Faith shoots up, awake.

Dean turns back to where the demon was standing but he's gone. Faith stands and hugs Dean tight, "Man I thought you'd give in, I thought….Man its good to be proved wrong." She says letting go of him.

"What?" Dean asks confused.

"I'll explain later, right now we should get her to the hospital."

Dean is on the bed with Hope of the hotel room and Faith is at the table drinking a beer. Sam is on the phone, "uh, thank you so much for the update. Ok, bye." He hangs up, "That was the hospital. Girl's been stabilized. Good chance she's gonna pull through."

"That's good." Dean says.

"Yeah. How 'bout you? You alright?" Sam asks.

Dean clears his throat, "Yeah, I'm alright…..Should have seen it, Sam. Our lives. You were such a wussy."

"So we didn't get along then, huh? What about Hope and Faith what where they like?"

"Nah we didn't get along at all…" He thinks back to how Faith was, how evil she had become, what if that's how she really ended up if they had never met each other. "The girls, well Hope was a waitress and Faith was…she was mean."

Hope laughed, "That's nothing new…" Faith glared over at her.

"I thought it was supposed to, to be this perfect fantasy."

"It wasn't. Was just a wish. I wished for mom to live. That mom never died, we never went hunting and you and me just never uh.. You know."

"Yeah.. Well, I'm glad we do. And I'm glad you dug yourself out, Dean. Most people wouldn't have the strength, would have just stayed." Sam said.

"Yeah.. Lucky me. I gotta tell you though, man. You know, you had Jess. Mom was gonna have grandkids..."

Faith glanced up at Sam, "Yeah, but... Dean.. wasn't real…that life was never meant to happen." Sam said.

"I know. But I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay so bad. I mean, ever since dad... all I can think about is how much this job's cost us. We've lost so much. We've.. sacrificed so much."

"But people are alive because of you. It's worth it, Dean. It's not fair, and.. you know, it hurts like hell, but.. it's worth it."

"Yeah these two make it a little more worth it….speaking of which what was with that demon?" Dean asked.

"I don't know, but lets just hope he stays gone." Hope said.

"Yeah, and Faith, back at the warehouse, what was your wish?" Dean asked.

"I had one, trust me I did. But Whenever he tried to send me there I just ended up in yours, but I knew what was going on. At first I didn't, but when I saw the same girl you did and when I started getting weaker, I just snapped out of it and bam! I was back here staring at you hanging from the ceiling. I thought maybe if I tried talking to you, you might be able to hear me in your dream."

He thought back to when she said she wasn't going to make it, "Huh, I guess it worked."

"Dean…" Faith said getting up and sitting on the bed next to him, "I get it was hard to leave, I don't think I would have been able to if it were my family." She glanced at Hope, "But then again, they are dead, and you three are real. You guys are what matters now."


	20. All Hell breaks Loose

**All Hell breaks Loose**

"Hey, don't forget the extra onions this time, huh?" Dean says to Sam as he pulls up to a little in and out burger place off the side of the road.

"Dude, I'm the one who's gonna have to ride in the car with your extra onions." Sam sighs and Dean grins.

Hope gets out too, shutting the door and kneeling down by Dean, "Yeah, I'm with Sam…"

"What's a matter baby you don't like my extra onions." Dean teases her.

"No…" She says trying not to smile, he grins and pulls her in for a kiss.

"Oh god, get a room…" Faith says rolling her eyes and climbing in the front seat from the back.

Hope grins and catches up to Sam, "Hey, see if they've got any pie! Bring me some pie!" Faith yells out to Hope.

"Yumm, I love me some pie." Dean says as they watch Sam and Hope go into the café and talk to the waiter.

"So," Dean says turning to face Faith.

"Yeah…"

"There's something I need to tell you."

"What?"

"When I was attacked by the Dijnn there was something I didn't tell you about yourself. If that makes sense."

She gives him a weird look, "Like what…"

"I know from experience that keeping things from people is a bad idea, at least like this…"

"Dean spit it out…"

"You were different."

She shrugs her shoulders, "So, we were all different."

"No not like this, not like you were. You were…scary. You threw me to the ground with the snap of your fingers…"

"What? Dean that's crazy, that's a demon thing."

"I know, but you did it."

"Whatever, it was just a stupid alternate reality, it doesn't mean anything."

"Faith, it was a real reality, a place that would have existed if my mom lived."

"So what your saying is that if I never met you two, I would have turned into some sort of demon like thing?"

"Yes…no…hell I don't know. I mean you were still you, you still hunted things, you were just…a little scary…a little supernatural."

Faith sighed, "You know ever since I was possessed by that demon at the crossroads, and ever since Hope and Sam were immune to that croatoan virus, I have had a bad feeling. I don't know how to explain it really, but I just feel like something isn't right with my sister and I."

Dean was about to say something when suddenly, the car radio becomes static. Dean glances down and fiddles with it, but it turns off completely. When Dean looks back up, the inside of the café is empty. No waiter, no Sam, no Hope.

"Oh no…" Dean says.

"What?" She looks to where Dean is looking and thinks the same.

They get out of the car and run inside, "Sam! Hope?!" Dean yells.

"Dean…" Faith says pointing to a dead customer with his head down in a pool of blood, "There's another one behind the counter." Dean and faith both take out their guns and look around. They find more dead employees with their throats slit.

Dean rushes to the back and heads out the door, "Sam?!" He yells.

"Dean…Sulfur." Faith says rubbing the substance she found on the window sill between her fingers. They share a look and race back out the front door, heading back to the car.

"Sam! Sammy!" Dean yells, but there is no response, "Hope! HOPE!" Still nothing.

Sam wakes up in the middle of nowhere. He is lying on the ground, and a few abandoned buildings are lining the street. He stands and takes out his phone, but gets no cell reception. "Hello!" He yells.

"Sam! Sam is that you?!" Hope yells.

"Hope?"

"I'm over here!"

He follows her voice and she's locked in a tiny building, he breaks down the door letting her out, "What the hell happened?"

"Hell if I know, come one, lets see what we can find." Sam says to her.

They continue to search the deserted town but do not find much. Most of the buildings are broken down or locked from the outside. Suddenly, Sam hears a creaking noise from nearby. He grabs a plank of wood, ready to fight, and motions for Hope to be quiet. Just then Andy Gallagher, he jumps back startled. "Andy?" Sam says.

"Sam! What are you doing here?"

"I don't know."

"What am I doing here?!"

"I don't know."

"Where are we?! Who is she?" Andy says pointing to Hope.

"Andy, look, calm down. You remember Faith, this is her sister."

"Oh, well nice to meet you." He smiles at Hope then turns his attention back to Sam, "I can't calm down! I just woke up in freaking Frontierland!"

"What's the last thing you remember?" Hope asked Andy.

"Honestly? My fourth bong load. It was weird. All of a sudden, there was this really intense smell. Like, uh…

"Like sulfur?" Hope said.

"How did you know that?"

"Dean…" Sam said remembering him and Faith.

"Your brother –- is he here?" Andy asked.

"I don't know where he is. I don't know if he's…Faith was with him…" Suddenly they hear a woman screaming in the distance. They approach another deserted building. She is locked inside, banging on the door for help. "Hello?"

"Help me! Help me, please!" the woman screams.

"Okay, I'm here. We're gonna get you out, all right? Just hold on a second." Sam grabs a large rock and smashes the padlock on the door. Sam unlocks the door and she steps out, "Ava?"

"Oh my God! Sam!" She begins to cry giving him a huge hug.

"So, I guess you guys know each other."

"Wait, she's the chick from when Gordon tried to kill us right?" Hope asks.

"Yeah." Sam says. "Ava, have you been here this whole time?"

"What whole time? I just woke up in there, like, half an hour ago." She says.

"Well, you've been gone for five months. We've been looking for you everywhere." Hope says.

"Okay, that's impossible, because I saw Sam two days ago."

"You didn't. I'm sorry." Sam says.

"But…that makes no sense. That's not—oh my God! My fiancée, Brady! If I've been missing for that long, he must be freaking out!"

Sam and Hope share a glance.

Ava notices Andy and looks at him confused, "Hey. Andy. Also freaking out." Andy tells her. "What's happening?" Andy asks Sam.

"I don't really know yet. But I know one thing: I know what the three of us have in common."

"Hello?!" A man yells, he walks around the corner with a blonde woman.

"Ok maybe more than three."

The man and woman approach and introduce themselves as Jake and Lily. Jake is a tall black man in an Army uniform and Lily is a skinny blonde dressed in black. Sam explains things to them, why they are there and who brought them. The yellow eyed demon. Jake is incredibly strong and Lily can touch people and their heart stops beating. Lily is not handling this very well and she just wants to leave.

Bobby, Dean, and Faith are parked next to the road, "This is it. All demonic signs and omens over the past month." Bobby says.

"Are you joking? There's nothing here." Dean says.

"Exactly." Bobby says.

"Well, come on, there's gotta be something. What about the normal, low-level stuff? You know, exorcisms, that kind of thing." Dean asks.

"Dean's right Bobby, there's gotta be something." Faith says.

"That's what I'm telling you: there's nothing. It's completely quiet."

"Well, how are we supposed to look for Sam and Hope? What, do we just close our eyes and point?"

Faith's phone rings and she answers it, "Ash, what do you got?"

"Okay, listen, it's a big negatory on Sam and Hope."

"Oh, come on, man! You've gotta give us something. We're looking at a three thousand-mile haystack here." She says to him.

"Listen, Faith, I did find something."

"Well, what?"

"I can't talk over this line.."

"Come on, I don't have time for this!"

"Make time, okay? Because this –- Not only does this almost definitely help you find your lover and your sister, this is…it's huge. So get here. Now." He hangs up.

Faith sighs, "I guess we're going to the Roadhouse. Come on."

"So, we're soldiers in a demon war to bring on the Apocalypse?" Jake asks looking at Sam like he's insane.

"Pretty much…yeah." Sam says blankly.

"Honestly I think your crazy…" Jake says brushing past Sam.

"Yeah Sam, visions and stuff, I get but demons…come on." Ava said.

"I don't really care what you think, okay? If we're all gathered here together, then that means it's starting and that we've gotta—" Sam is intruppted.

"The only thing I've gotta do is stay away from whack jobs, okay? I've heard enough. I'm better off on my own. FYI, so are you."

"Wait Jake!" Hope yells after him, "Jake!" He ignores her and continues walking until he is out of their sight. "Well now what?" Hope says putting her hands on her hips.

Sam shakes his head, "I don't know…"

"Get back!" They hear Jake yell from one of the old buidlings.

Sam and Hope run in his direction and they enter the building Jake is in. They see a little girl next to the chalk boars, she has written "I will not kill" all over it." She is advancing on Jake. Sam grabs an iron poker hitting the girl with it. She dissolves into a cloud of black smoke, which exits the schoolroom. The other three run in behind Hope.

"Just so you know? That was a demon. Now, that thing –- I'm not sure, but I think it was an Acheri. A demon that disguises itself as a little girl. That still doesn't tell us where we are. Jake, are you with me or what?" Sam explains.

"Give me a minute. I'm still working through, "Demons are real". Jake says as they leave the schoolroom.

"Sam, this is bad." Hope tells him as they walk through the town, the others following close behind.

"I know…" He replies.

"What are we gonna do, what about Dean and-"

"I know Hope, I've thought about that too…"

"You mean, you've thought about the fact they could be dead?"

Sam stopped looking down at her. "Listen Hope…" He pauses noticing something, "Wait…I've seen that bell before. I think I know where we are now: Cold Oak, South Dakota. A town so haunted, every single resident fled."

"Swell. Good to know we're somewhere so historical." Ava says walking up next to them.

"Why in the world would that demon or whatever put us here?" Lily asks. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Clearly, the only sane thing to do here is get the hell out of Dodge." She starts to walk away.

"Wait, hold on. Lily, the only way out is through miles of woods." Sam says.

"Beats hanging out with demons." She says as she keeps walking.

"Lily wait, we need to stick together." Sam says after her.

"He's right!" Jake yells but she just keeps walking. "What do we do now?" Jake asks looking at Sam.

"We cant make her stay…" Hope says noticing the look on Sam's face, "Sam, you cant force her to stay, if she wants to leave you have to let her."

"What if something happens to her…"

"She is not your responsibility, and even if she stays now, she will leave when we cant notice her slipping away." Hope reassures him.

"I guess your right. Look we need to find some weapons, we're looking for iron, silver, salt…"

"Salt is a weapon?" Andy asks.

Dean is driving down a dirt road, Faith in the middle and Bobby in the passenger's seat, they turn the corner to the Roadhouse. When they get there, however, the entire building has burned to the ground.

"What the hell?" Dean asks stunned. They get out of the car and begin walking among the debris. Every single part of the Roadhouse has been destroyed.

"Oh my God…." Faith says.

"You see Ellen?" Dean asks.

"No. No Ash, either." Bobby says.

Faith suddenly bends down and sees Ash's watch in the pile of rubble. She pulls on it and sees it is still attached to Ash's very burnt corpse "Oh, Ash, damn it!" She yells.

Back in South Dakota Sam, Hope and the others are still wondering around the town when they hear a scream, its Ava. They run to her and follow her gaze, she is staring at Lily's lifeless body hanging from a windmill.

"Oh no…" Sam says.

"Who the hell did that?! Did she…did she?!" Ava yells hysterically.

"No, she didn't kill herself." Hope says rolling her eyes at Ava who was beginning to get on her last nerve. "It was the demon…don't you get it, we leave, we die."

"So we're stuck here?!" She says in a panic, "This cant be happening, no, no, no, I have to leave…I need." Suddenly Hope walks up to her and slaps her hard across the face, Ava gasps holding on to her cheek and looking stunned at Hope.

"Now, calm the hell down." Hope tells her and Ava takes in a breath. "I wish Dean was here, or Faith, hell I wish they both were here."

"You know, I was just thinking about how much they would help right now. I'd give my arm for a working phone." Sam said.

Andy perks up realizing something, "You know, you may not need one. I've never tried it long-distance before, but do you have anything of theirs on you? Like, something one of them touched?"

Sam searchers his pockets, "Uh…I've got a receipt. Would that work?"

"Yeah." Andy says. He looks at the signature on the receipt. "F. Hasselhoff?"

"Yeah, that's Faith's signature….It's hard to explain." Hope says.

"What the hell did Ash know? We've got no way of knowing where Ellen is. Or if she's even alive. We've got no clue what Ash was gonna tell us. Now, how the hell are we gonna find Sam and Hope?" Dean asks.

"We'll find them." Bobby says.

Suddenly Faith clutches her head in pain. She groans and doubles over. She sees an image of the Cold Oak bell very quickly. Dean and Bobby rush over to her, helping her to her feet, "What was that?" Bobby asks.

"I don't know. A headache?" She says.

"You get headaches like that a lot?" Dean asks.

"No. Must be the stress." She chuckles, "I could have sworn I saw something."

"What do you mean? Like a vision? Like what Sam gets?" Bobby asks.

"What? No!" She yells in defense.

"I'm just saying." Bobby says glancing at Dean.

"Come on, I'm not some psychic." Faith says. Suddenly the vision comes back. She falls against the car in pain. She sees another image, this time of Sam and Hope.

"Faith! Faith! Are you with me?" Dean yells at her and shakes her by the shoulders.

"Yeah, I think so. I saw them. I saw them, Dean." She says.

"It was a vision." Bobby says.

"Yeah. I don't know how, but yeah. Whew. That was about as fun as getting kicked in the jewels." She says taking a breath.

"Like you know what that feels like…" Dean teases.

"Well now I have a pretty good idea." She grins.

"What else did you see?" Bobby asks.

"Uh… there was a bell."

"What kind of bell?"

"Like a big bell with some kind of engraving on it, I don't know." She explains.

"Was it a tree? Like, an oak tree?" Bobby asks.

"Yeah, exactly."

"I know where they are." Bobby says.

Hope and Ava are in a room salting the windows, Sam and the others are doing the same, just in different rooms.

"My horoscope said I shouldn't have gotten out of bed." She scoffs, "How you doing? Holding up?" Ava asks Hope.

"I'm okay. What about you?"

"Not so okay. Why us, Hope? What did we do to deserve this?"

"Just lucky, I guess."

"If it wasn't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all. I just can't wait for this all to be over so I can just pretend it never happened. I just wanna curl up with Brady and watch bad TV." She notices Hope shift uncomfortably. "What is it? Hope…do you know something that I don't?"

"Look, Ava…I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have to tell you this." She pauses for a moment, "When the demon broke into your house to take you…your fiancée didn't make it. I'm sorry."

"No, that's…no!" She begins crying and Hope hugs her, trying to make her feel comfort.

Later that night, the entire group is sitting in one room, silent. Sam is struggling to stay awake, closing his eyes every so often. Suddenly, in the corner of the room, he sees the yellow eyed demon.

"Jake! Behind you!" Sam yells but Jake does not hear him.

"Howdy, Sam." The demon says.

"I'm dreaming."

"What do you say you and I take a little walk?" The demon says glancing at Hope who lay asleep. He leads Sam outside, "You're awfully quiet, Sam. You're not mad at me, are you?"

"I'm gonna tear you to shreds, I swear to—"

The demon chuckles, "When you wake up, tiger, you give it your best shot."

"Where's my brother? Where's Faith"

"Quit worrying about Dean. I'd worry more about yourself. As for Faith, I assure you, she can take care of herself. You see Sammy I'm trying to help you. That's why we're talking. You're the one I'm rooting for."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Welcome to the Miss America pageant. Why do you think you're here? This is a competition. Only one of you crazy kids is gonna make it out of here alive."

"I thought we were supposed to be—" He begins to ask confused.

"Soldiers in a coming war? That's true. You are. But here's the thing: I don't need soldiers. I need soldier. I just need the one." He explains.

"Why? And why is Hope here? She's not one of your…special kids."

"Well, I couldn't just come out and say that, could I Sam? I had to let everyone think they had a fighting chance. But what I need is a leader. Hope has her part to play, you see, I killed mommy and daddy. That's something you four love birds have in common.

Sam glares at him, "To lead who?"

"Oh, I've already got my army. Or I will soon, anyway."

"You son of a bitch."

"Honestly, I'm surprised you hadn't guessed. I mean, why do you think so many children flamed out already? Max Miller and Andy's brother, what's-his-name - they weren't strong enough. I'm looking for the best and brightest of your generation."

"My generation?" Sam asks giving him a weird look.

"Well, there's other generations, but let's just worry about yours. That's why I'm here, Sam. I wanna give you the inside track. You're tough. You're smart. You're well-trained, thanks to your daddy. Sam –- Sammy –- you're my favorite."

"You ruined my life. You killed everyone I love."

"Be fair Sam, not everyone. It's the cost of doing business I'm afraid. I mean, sweet little Jessica –- she just had to die. You were all set to marry that little blonde thing, become a tax lawyer with two kids, a beer gut, and a little McMansion in the suburbs. I needed you sharp, on the road, honing your skills. Your gifts."

"What about my mom?"

"That was….bad luck."

"Bad luck?"

"She walked in on us. Wrong place, wrong time."

"What does that mean?"

"It wasn't about her. It was about you. It's always been about you….and them…of course."

"What?"

"Well…okay. You caught me in a charitable mood. I'll show you." The demon snaps his fingers, and he and Sam are suddenly in a hay field, two little girls play nearby.

"What is this?" Sam asks

"Don't you recognize them?"

Sam studies their faces, "Faith, and Hope?" He asks.

"And you picked a winner…" The demon shows him the day their parents died, how they witnessed it. Sam could see black smoke leaving their mothers body and he stood in shock at the scene.

"Their mother was possessed by a demon? They think you killed their parents."

"Oh Sammy boy, I did kill their parents, and she was a demon, their mother was a demon from the day she said "I do." He grinned at Sam and snapped his fingers again, suddenly they were in Sam's nursery, back on the night Mary died. The demon shows that night to Sam, how Mary walked in and tried to stop him, how Sam has demon blood flowing through his veins. "I don't think you wanna see the rest of this." The demon says just as Mary is about to die He snaps his fingers again. Sam jolts awake in the abandoned South Dakota house.

"Sam, wake up! Ava's missing." Hope yells, and they go outside, Jake following, "I'll take the barn and the hotel. You take the houses." Hope says.

"All right. Meet back here in ten minutes, okay? Jake go with Hope."

"Okay." Jake says.

Sam begins his walk to the houses. Ava peeks her head out from around the corner, but Sam doesn't see her.

Meanwhile, ANDY has stayed back at the abandoned building. When he turns, Ava is standing in the room with him. She drags her finger along the salt on the windowsill, breaking the line.

"Ava, where'd you go? Didn't you hear us yelling?" Andy asks.

"Yeah, I heard you." She says in a dark voice. She puts her hands to her head in concentration. A cloud of black demon smoke appears outside the window. Since the salt line has been broken, it is able to enter the room through the window.

"What are you doing?" Andy asks in fright. The smoke suddenly materializes into the demonic little girl. The demon girl knocks him down and wastes no time in killing him. His blood splatters everywhere until he is completely dead. Ava watches his corpse for a second, amused, then begins screaming.

Outside, Sam hears Ava screaming and hurries inside. He sees her crying, pointing at Andy's body.

"Sam! I just found him like this!" Ava cries.

Hope runs in and notices Andy, "What happened?"

"I don't know!" Ava yells.

"How'd that thing get in? Where were you?" Hope asks in a hard voice.

"I just went to get some water from the well. I was only gone maybe, like, two minutes!"

"You shouldn't have gone outside. Ava, we have to stay in here." Sam says as he notices the salt on the window. "Who did that?" he asks pointing to it.

"I don't know, maybe Andy—" Ava begins.

"Andy wouldn't do that. Ava, that line wasn't broken when we left. Ava!" Hope yells.

"What? You don't think that I—"

"I'll tell you what I think: five months. You're the only one with all that time you can't account for. And that headache you got? Right when the demon got Lily…." Hope says and Sam realizes the pattern.

"What are you trying to say?" Ava asks.

"What happened to you?" Sam says. He stares her down until a minute later, she drops the act.

"Had you going though, didn't I? Yeah. I've been here a long time. And not alone, either. People just keep showing up. Children, like us. Batches of three or four at a time."

"You killed them? All of them?" Sam asks.

"I'm the undefeated heavyweight champ."

"You bitch." Hope says.

"You just shut up! Your not even supposed to be here!"

"Then why am I?" Hope asks in a smart remark.

"Oh, my God…." Sam says.

Ava turns her attention to back to Sam, "Don't think God has much to do with this Sam."

"How could you?" He asks.

"I had no choice. It was me or them. After a while, it was easy. It was even kind of fun. I just stopped fighting it." She laughed.

"Fighting what?"

"Who we are, Sam. If you just quit your hand-wringing and open yourself up, you have no idea what you can do. The learning curve is so fast, it's crazy, the switches that just flip in your brain. I can't believe I started out just having dreams. Do you know what I can do now?"

Sam sighs, "Control demons."

"Ah, you are quick on the draw." She puts her hands to her head. "Yeah, I'm sorry, Sam. But it's over." The cloud of black smoke returns to the window. It enters and forms the little girl, heading to Hope first, Hope stands her ground, staring the demon down. It stares at her for a moment unsure of what to do. It looks back at Ava, confused. Hope looks at Sam just as confused. Jake comes into the building. He grabs Ava and twists her neck, killing her instantly. The demon screams and vanishes out the way it came.


	21. Live and Let Die

**Live and let Die**

Dean, Bobby, and Faith pull up in the Impala, they are on the outskirts of the woods that surround the little town Sam and Hope are in. "Looks like the rest of the way's on foot." Bobby says as they get out of the car and head to the trunk, arming themselves with anything they feel necessary.

"Let's go." Dean says with a serious look on his face.

"Dean wait…" Faith says from behind him.

Dean turns to face her, "What is it?"

"Should we be prepared?" She asks him.

He gives her an odd look, "We are prepared." He says motioning to his gun.

"No, I mean…."

He walks over to her and says sternly, "They ARE NOT dead." He studies her eyes and sighs, putting his hand on her shoulder, "They're not dead, have faith." He grins and she grins back.

"I think we can make it out of here now." Sam says to Jake and Hope as they leave the old building.

"But the Acheri demon…" Jake says.

"Ava was summoning it, controlling it. It shouldn't come back now that she's dead. We've gotta go."

"Not "we", Sam. Only one of us is getting out of here. I'm sorry." Jake says, then he glances at Hope.

"What?"

"I had a vision. That Yellow-Eyed Demon or whatever it was, he talked to me. He told me how it was." Jake said, as he to had a similar vision that Sam had.

"No, Jake, listen. You can't listen to him." Sam says.

"Sam, he's not letting us go. Only one. Now, if we don't play along, he'll kill us both. I like you, man. I do. But do the math here. What good's it do for both of us to die? Now, I can get out of here. I get close to the demon, I can kill the bastard." Jake said.

"You come with us, we can kill him together."

"How do I know you won't turn on me?" He glances at Hope.

"I won't….and don't worry about her, she's not apart of this, she's not like us."

"I don't care Sam, the demon said only one, that means she has to die too."

"Okay, look." Sam takes out his knife, shows it to Jake, and places it on the ground. "Just come with me, Jake. Don't do this. Don't play into what it wants." After a pause, Jake places his weapon on the ground as well. Sam looks at Hope who pauses, rolls her eyes and takes out her knife as well, laying it on the ground. "Okay." Suddenly, Jake punches Hope, sending her flying about 20 feet across the tiny town, he then turns to Sam and punches him as well. With his super-strength, Sam goes flying across the field and crashes onto the ground. While Hope lay knocked out, Jake approaches Sam, kicking down the fence and leaning over him. Sam stands and fights back, punching Jake. The two continue fighting for a while until finally, Sam grabs the iron bar that Jake was using and knocks him out. He thinks of killing Jake with the iron rod but decides to leave him alone. Sam runs over to Hope, shaking her awake. She moans in pain as he helps her stand.

"What an ass hole…" She whispers through a few broken ribs. "Hey, you hear that?" She asks. They stand there and listen for a moment, "Someone's coming."

"Wait here ok?" Sam says to her, helping her sit. She nods her head and he moves slowly to the noise.

Down the street Dean, Bobby, and Faith are approaching, "Sam!" Dean yells throughout the town.

"Dean!" Sam yells with relief. He smiles as he sees the three of them. Suddenly Jake wakes up. He grabs the knife that Sam had placed on the ground and begins to advance on Sam

Dean glances behind Sam as he sees Jake, "Sam, look out!" He yells, but its to late, Jake stabs the knife right through Sam's back.

"No!" Faith and Dean yell together. Jake twists the knife, creating a massive wound, before running away. Sam falls to his knees. While Bobby chases after Jake, Dean and Faith run to Sam's side. Dean slides to the ground in front of Sam, he grabs at Sam's clothing, trying to keep him conscious. Faith slides up next to them, tears fill her eyes.

"Sam!" Faith yells as Sam falls on Deans shoulder.

"Whoa, whoa, Sam. Sam! Hey! Come here. Let me look at you." Dean says as he places his hand on Sam's wound, covering his entire palm in blood. "Hey, look at me. It's not even that bad. It's not even that bad, all right? Sammy? Sam! Hey, listen to me. We're gonna patch you up, okay? You're gonna be good as new. I'm gonna take care of you. I'm gonna take you care of you. I've got you. That's my job, right? Watch out for my pain-in-the-ass little brother? Sam? Sam! Sammy!" Dean yells. Sam's eyes slide shut and his entire body slumps forward. "No!, No, Sammy!" Dean yells with tears streaming down his face. Dean holds Sam in his arms as he dies. While Faith cries silently next to him.

Faith looks up as Jake is out of shooting range, he rounds to corner to run just as Hope comes into view. She was following all the commotion, in his passing by Jake slices at Hope, cutting her throat. She jerks left and falls to the ground. "NO!" Faith yells. She picks up Dean's gun and faster then she thought capable she runs after Jake, by the time she makes it to her sister, he is out of sight.

Faith rolls Hope over, "You better not be dead!" She says through tears as Hope gasps, taking in a breath.

"I'm fine…" She chokes out, "Prick just grazed me."

"I'm gonna kill him…" Faith says still crying.

"Faith, forget it, I'm fine…"

"Sam's dead Hope! HE killed him…"

Hope stares at her sister in disbelief.

An hour later Dean and Hope are in a hotel room. Sam's lifeless body lies on a bed nearby.

Bobby walks in the door holding a bucket of chicken, "Want some?" He asks.

"No, thanks. I'm fine."

"You should eat something." Hope tells him as she patches up her neck.

"I said I'm fine!" He snaps at her.

"Dean...I hate to bring this up, I really do. But don't you think maybe it's time...we bury Sam." Bobby says.

"No…" Dean says.

"Dean I want you to come with me…all of you." Bobby says.

"No."

"Dean, please." Bobby begs.

"Would you cut me some slack?" Dean asks.

"I just don't think you should be alone, that's all. I gotta admit- I could use your help. Something big is going down- end-of-the world big." Bobby says.

"Well, then let it end!" Dean yells.

"You don't mean that." Hope says.

"You don't think so? Huh? You don't think I've given enough? You don't think I've paid enough? I'm done with it. All of it. And if you know what's good for you, turn around, and get the hell out of here." Dean says looking at Hope. "Go!" he yells at her and she stares at him feeling defeated. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry ok. Please, just go. All of you.

Just then Faith walks in the door looking defeated, "Where the hell have you been?!" Dean yells at her, but she ignores him and goes to sit by Sam.

Bobby sighs, "Dean, you know where I'll be." He says as he heads for the door, he pauses and takes one last glance at Sam, Faith holding his hand and sitting by his side. He sighs and leaves.

Hope walks over to Dean and puts her hand on his shoulder, he retracts from her touch. "You should go with Bobby, both of you."

"No…" Faith says, they turn to face her and she is now standing a few feet from them. Her tear stained face is full of pain, and heartache, "None of us are going anywhere…."

"Faith…" Dean begins but she cuts him off as she advances on him.

"No…he may be your brother, but I loved Sam too." Hope looks at Faith, amazed she said the L word, "So no, we don't leave, we don't abandoned Bobby either. Do you really think Sam would have wanted us to just give up? Well, then he died for nothing didn't he?!" She yells.

"He's not staying dead! Do you hear me? I will fix this!" Dean yells.

"Dean, you can't fix this, what's dead should stay dead. Even you could agree with that…there's no getting him back…there's nothing more we can do!" Faith says blankly.

Dean grinds his teeth and Hope can see the fire brewing behind his eyes, he takes a step closer to Faith, "Screw off!" He yells at her, he turns to leave but instead swings back around and punches her in the face.

"Dean! What the hell!" Hope yells.

Faith catches herself on the bed and stands noticing her bloody lip, she wipes the blood away and laughs. Before Hope can stop it, Faith gives Dean a right hook to the cheek bone, causing him to fall down. "Screw you Dean…" Faith says as she turns to leave. She walks over Sam and takes his hand in hers. Dean stands holding his face as he watches her. "I'd cry for you, but there's just nothing left…." She leans in and kisses him on the cheek, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you…I'm sorry Sam." He takes one last look at him, gets up and heads for the door.

"So that's it huh?! Your not even gonna make an attempt to save him? Yeah, you really do love him don't you!" Dean yells after her.

"Dean!" Hope yells at him.

"What?!"

She shakes her head and looks at him with sad eyes, "Don't make me loose both of you."

Dean sighs, "Go to Bobby's…please Hope, I know you'll be safe there."

Hope walks over to him and holds him, "Don't do anything stupid ok…"

He chuckles, "That's hard for me.

After Hope left, Dean sat with Sam for a few hours, pondering her thoughts and talking to a lifeless Sam. He sighs and gets up to leave. He gets in the Impala and revs up the engine. Headlights turn on and Dean drives recklessly. He stops on a dirt road and inserts several items into a box, including a photo ID of himself. He begins to bury the box in the middle of a crossroads. Several seconds pass in silence, as Dean looks right and left.

"Oh come on already. Show your face, you bitch!" Suddenly, a beautiful woman in a black dress appears.

"Easy sugar, you'll wake the neighbors. Dean. It's so, so good to see you." She inhales sharply, "I mean it. Look at you. Gone and got your family killed. All alone in the world. It's too sweet. Excuse me, you're gonna have to give me a moment. Sometimes you gotta stop and smell the roses."

"I should send you straight back to hell." Dean glares.

"Oh, you should. But you won't. And I know why." She teases him.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Following in Daddy's footsteps. You wanna make a deal. Little Sammy back from the dead, and-let me guess- you're offering up your own soul?"

"There are a hundred other demons who'd love to get their hands on it. And it's all yours. And all you got to do is bring Sam back. And give me ten years- ten years, and then you come for me."

"You must be joking. You know Sam's little girlfriend tried to do the same, how cute. Apparently chivalry isn't dead." She laughed.

"What?" He looked at her confused.

"Oh, you didn't know. She came to me, offering up her soul for his, giving her ten wonderful years, blah blah blah…But you see Dean, she's special. Taking her downstairs could be bad for me, don't you understand…."

"Then why not take me huh?! Why not give me the same deal as everyone else?"

"You're not everybody else." She leans closer to him, whispering in his ear, "Why would I want to give you anything? Keep your gutter soul. It's too tarnished, anyway."

"Nine years then." Dean says and the demon shakes her head. "Eight."

"You keep going, I'll keep saying no."

"Okay, five years. Five years, and my bill comes due. That's my last offer- five years or no deal."

She leans forward to kiss him but pulls away, "Then no deal."

"Fine." Dean says.

"Fine." She grins and starts to walk away, "Make sure you bury Sam before he starts stinking up the joint."

"Wait…."

She stops and grins, "It's a fire sale, and everything must go."

"What do I have to do?"

"First of all, quit groveling. Needy guys are such a turnoff." She sighs, "Look... Look, I shouldn't be doing this. I could get in a lot of trouble. But what can I say? I got a blind spot for you, Dean. You're like a... puppy. You're just too fun to play with. I'll do it."

"You'll bring him back?"

"I will. And because I'm such a saint, I'll give you one year. And one year only. But here's the thing. If you try and welch or weasel your way out, then the deal is off. Sam drops dead. He's back to rotten meat in no time. So... it's a better deal than your dad ever got. What do you say?" Dean grabs the demon and kisses her to seal the deal.

When he pulls away he sighs, she smiles and begins to walk away, "Wait…" She turns to face him. "Why wouldn't you make a deal with Faith?"

She grins and walks back to him, in a half singing half taunting voice she says, "I know something you don't know…" He looks at her confused and before he has a chance to ask her anything else she vanishes.


	22. Live Free Or Die Hard

Live Free or Die hard

Sam shoots up from bed and looks around at the empty hotel room, he sighs and flinches at the pain in his back. He stands and walks over to the mirror, he turns, examining his back with a look of pain. There is a scar from where the knife was stabbed into his spine. In the distance a door opens and Dean enters the room.

"Sammy?" Dean says.

"Hey." Sam says. Dean pulls Sam into a tight embraces with a look of relief on his face. "Ow. Uh, Dean..."

He lets go of Sam. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, man. I'm just...I'm just happy to see you up and around, that's all. Come on, sit down." He puts his hand on Sam's shoulder and they both sit.

"Okay. Dean...what happened to me?"

"What do you remember?"

"I-I saw you and Bobby…and Faith and...then I felt this pain. This sharp pain, like...like, white-hot, you know, and then you and Faith started running at me, and...that's about it…." He thinks back remembering where he left Hope. "Oh my god Hope! Dean…"

"She's fine Sam. You remember that black kid?" Sam nods, "He stabbed you in the back. You lost a lot of blood. It was pretty touch and go for awhile."

"But Dean, you can't patch up a wound that bad."

"No, Bobby could. Who was that kid, anyway?"

"His name's Jake. Did you get him?"

"No, Faith ran after him, he took a slice at Hope, but then he disappeared into the woods." Sam looked worried, "They're all ok."

"We got to find him, Dean. And I swear I'm gonna tear that son of a bitch apart." Sam says standing up with Dean following suit.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy there, Van Damme. You just woke up, all right? Let's get you something to eat. Huh? You want something to eat?" Sam relaxes and nods. "I'm starving. Come on."

"Wait, where is everyone?" Sam asks noticing the room is empty.

Dean hesitates, "At Bobby's."

"Faith calm down!" Hope yelled at her sister as she searched through books at Bobby's house.

"There's gotta be something, anything! What am I missing?!" She yelled as she pulled book after book off the shelf.

"Faith please just sit down for a second ok…"

Ignoring her sister she kept her search, "Come on, something!"

"Faith!" Hope yelled grabbing her sister by the arm and forcing her to turn and face her. "Listen to me!" Faith's defeated eyes met hers, "He's gone ok…and there's nothing we can do to get him back."

Faith sighed and silent tears fell from her face, "I tired Hope, I tried so hard to get him back…"

"I know you did, hell you still are." She said looking at the mess of books.

"No, you don't understand…" Hope gave Faith a weird look, "I went to the crossroads demon, that's where I ran off too."

"You what?! Faith are you crazy!" She yelled.

"Calm down…"

"I cant calm down, not after you drop a bombshell on me like that!" Hope yelled.

"They wouldn't deal alright!" Faith yelled, "The bitch wouldn't take me, she wouldn't give me ten years and let Sam live…" Faith sighed. "She said I was too special for such an occasion and blah blah blah…"

"Faith…" Hope paused searching for the right words, "I wish I could tell you how sorry I am, I couldn't imagine losing you or Dean…I just…"

"I know Hope, its ok."

Just then Bobby walked in the door holding a six pack of Bud, a bottle of Jack, and a fifth of Jim. Faith glanced over at him and smiled slightly, "My three favorite boys."

Sam and Dean were at a table eating, "And that's when you guys showed up." Sam said after explaining the whole thing to Dean.

"That's awful. Poor Andy."

"The demon said he only wanted one of us to walk out alive."

"He told you that?" Dean asked.

"Yep." He scoffs, "He appeared in a dream."

"He tell you anything else?"

Sam shakes his head, "No. No. That was it. Nothing else. You know, what I don't get, Dean, is if the demon only wanted one of us, then how did Jake and I both get away?"

"Well, I mean, they left you for dead. I'm sure they thought it was over." Dean takes a big bite of pizza, "now that Yellow Eyes has Jake, what's he gonna do with him?"

"I don't know. But whatever it is, we gotta stop him."

"Well, hold on. You need to get your rest. We got time." Dean insisted.

"No, we don't."

"Sam, oceans aren't boiling, okay? Frogs aren't raining from the sky. Let's get you your strength back first."

"Well did you call the roadhouse? Do they know anything?" Sam asked and Dean gave him a look, "Dean...what is it?"

"The roadhouse burned to the ground. Ash is dead. Probably Ellen- a lot of other hunters, too."

"Demons?"

"Yeah, we think so. We think because Ash found something."

"What did he find?"

"Bobby's working on that right now."

"Well, come on then. Bobby's only a few hours away." Sam begins to stand, Dean stands also and grabs Sam by the shoulder.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop, Sam, stop. Damn it. You almost died there. I mean, what would I have- you just take care of yourself for a little bit, huh? Just for a little bit?" Dean pleaded.

"No Dean, this ends now." He pulled away from his brother and headed for the car, leaving Dean with a sad look on his face.

Faith pours her sister and Bobby another shot of Jack, and they each take theirs. "To Sam." Bobby says and Faith hesitates before drinking hers. She throws it back and moves into the study, where books are scattered about. She sighs looking at the mess.

"How ya holdin up?" Bobby asks walking in behind her.

"I don't know man, about as good as I can be I guess. I never thought it would affect me so much ya know, losing Sam."

"Well when ya love someone…" Bobby began and Faith shot him a look.

"Love? Maybe…hell I don't know. This is the reason why I don't get close to people, the more people you care about, the more loss and heart break you go through."

"Yeah, but that sure would be a lonely life dontcha think?" Hope said walking up to stand next to her sister.

Faith laughed some, "This life sucks and to be honest, most of the time I wonder why we do it."

Hope looked at her, "Faith you know why we do it…"

"Don't you think we have suffered enough? Gave enough, hell saved enough people that the world owes us?"

"What about…"

Faith cut Hope off, "What? The yellow eyed demon? Hasn't he taken enough from us already?" just then a knock come on the door and Bobby headed that way, then another knock.

"I'm comin!" Bobby yells.

"Faith…" Hope looks at her sister, moving closer to her.

"I know Hope, I'm just wishing is all." She thought about pouring another drink but just took it from the bottle instead. "Let's get back to work." Faith says opening a book.

As Bobby opens the door he looks at Sam with astonishment.

"Hey, Bobby." Sam says.

"Sam. It's good to see... you up and around." He says a little shocked.

"Yeah, well... thanks for patching me up." He says walking in the house.

Bobby gives Dean a fierce look, "Don't mention it."

Sam walks in the house to see Hope facing him with her nose in a book and Faith, her back to him and a bottle of Jack by her side, along with about ten books. All on lore about the gates of hell. Hope glances up and stares at Sam in shock for a moment.

"Hey toss me that woulda ya." Faith asks her sister, when she doesn't respond, Faith looks up to see Hope staring at something. Faith stands and walks over to her sister. "Hey!"

Hope points to Sam and whispers his name.

"What?" Faith gives her an odd look and turns around to see a smiling Sam, "Oh my god…it cant be." She slowly walks over to him and gently puts her hands on his chest as if to see if he is really there. "Sam…"

He grins down at her, "Yeah…"

She lets in a breath and hugs him as hard as she can. "I thought I lost you, I thought…" She tries to hold back her tears but she cant, and they start to flow down her face as she breathes in his scent.

"Hey…hey its ok…" Sam says pulling back from her, "I'm ok, see…you didn't lose me."

She kisses him through her tears. She pulls back and takes in a breath to try and calm down, "Sam I love you…don't you ever do that to me again…" Hope, Dean, and Sam all looked at her and Bobby just smiles. Hope couldn't believe she had just said the L word to someone other than her.

Sam smiled at Faith and tried not to blush, he was as giddy as a kid at Christmas. "I love you too…so much." He hugged her again and her eyes met Dean's, who was smiling at her. She pulled away from Sam.

"Why doesn't Hope catch you up on the latest, I need to talk to Dean for a sec…" She walked over to Dean, an angry look on her face. "Get outside, now."

She followed Dean out the door and pushed him by the shoulders, "What did you do?" She asked.

"What?" He said turning around to face her.

"You stupid ass! What did you do? What did you do?!" She pushes Dean again.

"Faith…"

"NO! Don't you Faith me! Damn it Dean…what?!"

"A deal alright! I made a deal!"

She gives him a strange look, "With a crossroads." He nods, "But they wouldn't deal…"

"Look I'm sorry about what I said at the hotel alright, I know you went there too…"

"Don't change the subject!" She yelled. "How long did they give you?"

"Faith…" Dean begins.

"Damn it Dean. How long?!"

"One year."

She sighs, "You selfish son of a bitch…"

"What?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Sam is back, but do you know how selfish you are? You have a year Dean! One freakin year! Then your gone, your gonna leave me with a broken hearted sister and Sam, alone and knowing your dead cause he's alive!

"He'll have you!" Dean yelled.

"Yeah he will, but I AM NOT YOU! He will forget about me Dean, you're his brother and that is all he will focus on getting back. Damn you! One year?"

"Yeah, which is why we gotta find this yellow-eyed son of a bitch. That's why I'm gonna kill him myself. I got nothing to lose now, right?"

Faith gives Dean the look of death and grabs him by the jacket "I could throttle you!"

"And send me downstairs ahead of schedule?"

She lets go, "What is it with you Winchesters, huh? You, your dad. You're both just itching to throw yourselves down the pit."

"That's my point. Dad brought me back, Faith. I'm not even supposed to be here. At least this way something good could come out of it, you know? It's like my life could mean something."

"What? And it didn't before?! Have you got that low of an opinion of yourself? Are you that screwed in the head?!" She grabs Dean again.

Dean starts to choke up, "I couldn't let him die, Faith. I couldn't. He's my brother."

"How's your brother gonna feel when he knows your going to hell? How'd you feel when you knew your dad went for you?" She says getting more in his face.

"You can't tell him. You can take a shot at me. Whatever you got to do, but please don't tell him." He begged. Faith begins to cry and she grabs Dean's face with her hands, Dean's eyes meet hers and he begins to cry. "Please Faith, don't tell him, or Hope. Please."

"I hate you for putting this shit on me, you know that." She grabs Dean and hugs him tight, he hugs her back. Suddenly there is a clank from a distant part of the junkyard. Faith and Dean glance at each other and follow the nose. They crawl to the side of a car, and grab the intruder. Once they have her by the shoulders, they recognize her as Ellen.

"Well, I found something. But I'm not sure what the hell it means." Bobby tells Sam as they sit down at the table next to Hope.

"What is it?"

"Demonic omens...like a frickin' tidal wave. Cattle deaths. Lightening storms. They skyrocketed from out of nowhere. Here." He points to a Wyoming map, "All around here, except for one place...Southern Wyoming." Bobby says.

"Wyoming?" Hope asks.

"Yeah. That one area's totally clean - spotless. It's almost as if..."

"What?" Sam asks.

"The demons are surrounding it." Bobby said.

"But you don't know why?" Hope asked.

Bobby shakes his head, "No, and by this point my eyes are swimming. Sam, would you take a look at it? Maybe you could catch something I couldn't."

"Yeah, sure."

"Come on, Hope. I got some more books in the truck. Help me lug 'em in." Hope nods and follows him out.

"What the hell did your idiot of a boyfriend do?" Bobby asked her.

"Look Bobby, your guess is as good as mine. I swear we had no idea…"

"Why don't I believe you…"

"Dude, you saw us in there, we were just as stunned to see him as you were!"

Bobby sighs. "Yeah ok." Bobby glance behind Hope and he sees Dean and Faith walking up with Ellen, "Oh my god." Bobby runs over to them.

Ellen and Bobby are sitting at the table and he pours her a shot of liquid from a flask and pushes it towards her.

"Bobby, is this really necessary?" She asks.

"Just a belt of Holy Water, shouldn't hurt."

She lifts the shot glass to her mouth and swallows the water. "Whiskey now, if you don't mind."

"Ellen, what happened? How'd you get out?" Dean asks.

"I wasn't supposed to. I was supposed to be in there with everybody else." She scoffs. "But we ran out of pretzels, of all things. It was just dumb luck." She drinks the whiskey Bobby poured for her and exhales sharply. "Anyway, that's when Ash called. Panic in his voice." She sighs, "He told me to look in the safe. Then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky-high. And everybody was dead. I couldn't have been gone more than fifteen minutes."

"Sorry, Ellen." Sam says.

Ellen starts to tear up, "A lot of good people died in there. And I got to live. Lucky me."

"Where's Jo?" Faith asked.

"She wasn't there, thank god. She's fine."

"Good, now you mentioned a safe?" Faith asks.

"A hidden safe we keep in the basement."

"Demons get what was in it?" Dean asked.

"No." She pulls out a map from her pocket, unfolding it and setting it down on the table. It has several black lines and X's on it.

"Wyoming. What does that mean?" Dean asks pointing to the lines.

They are all in Bobby's study waiting patiently as Bobby reads from a book, "I don't believe it." He says as he sets the book on his desk.

"What? You got something?" Sam asks.

"A lot more than that. Each of these X's s an abandoned frontier church- all mid 19th century. And all of them built by Samuel Colt." Bobby says.

"Samuel Colt-the demon-killing, gunmaking Samuel Colt?" Faith asks.

"Yep. And there's more. He built private railway lines," He points to the black lines on the map, "connecting church to church. It just happens to lay out like this." He connects the points on the map until the shape of a star is made.

"Tell me that's not what I think it is." Hope says

"It's a Devil's Trap. A 100-square mile Devil's Trap." Sam says.

"That's brilliant. Iron lines demons can't cross." Dean says.

"I've never heard of anything that massive." Ellen pipes in.

"No one has." Bobby says.

"And after all these years none of the lines are broken? I mean, it still works?" Faith asks.

"Definitely." Sam says.

"How do you know?"

"All those omens Bobby found. I mean the demons, they must be circling and they can't get in."

"Yeah, well...they're trying." Dean said.

"Why? What's inside?" Ellen asked.

"That's what I've been looking for. And, uh, there's nothing except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle." Bobby says.

"Well what's so important about a cemetery or...what's Colt trying to protect?"

"What if Colt wasn't trying to keep the demons out? What if he was trying to keep something in?" Faith says.

"Well that's a comforting thought." Hope says.

"Yeah, you think?" Faith replies.

"Could they do it, Bobby? Could they get inside?" Sam asks.

"This thing's so powerful, you'd practically need an A-bomb to destroy it. No way a full-blood demon gets across." Bobby said.

Sam gasps, "No, but I know who could."

"Jake." Faith says.

Its nighttime and Dean, Sam, Faith, Hope, and Bobby are all in the cemetery waiting for Jake. A cemetery gate opens and Jake enters, walking towards a crypt. Dean and Hope are standing behind a large tomb, a guns in hand.

"Howdy, Jake." Sam says as him, Bobby and Faith appear from the shadows, guns raised.

"Wait...you were dead. I killed you."

"Yeah? Well next time, finish the job." Sam said.

"I did! I cut clean through your spinal cord, man." Sam glances at Dean, "You can't be alive. You can't be."

"Okay, just take it real easy there, son." Bobby says.

"And if I don't?" Jake asks.

"Wait and see." Faith says.

Jake laughs, "What, you think I'm afraid of a tiny thing like you?"

"Leave her alone Jake" Sam says.

"What, you a tough guy all of a sudden? What are you gonna do-kill me?" Jake says to Sam.

"It's a thought."

"You had your chance. You couldn't." Jake says.

"I won't make that mistake twice."

Jake begins to laugh.

"What are you smiling at, you little bitch?" Faith says.

"Hey Lady, do me a favor. Put that gun to your head." Jake tells Faith and she points her gun at her temple. "See that Ava girl was right. Once you give in to it, there's all sorts of new Jedi mind tricks you can learn."

"You son of a bitch, you let her go!" Sam yells.

"Shoot the dick!" Faith yells

"You'll be mopping up skull before you get a shot off…..Everybody, put your guns down. Except you, sweetheart." The three guns drop and Faith glares hard at Jake. "Okay. Thank you" Jake turns around and pulls the Colt out of his pocket. While he is inserting it into the crypt, Dean and Hope grab Faith before she can shoot herself just as Sam shoots Jake four times in the back. Jake falls onto the ground, and Sam positions himself in front of him.

Jake gasps, "Please...don't. Please."

Three more shots are fired into Jake's chest and Sam searches for the shooter. Its Faith. "Bitch." She says to him. Dean gives Hope a look then he glances at Faith and Sam, as if they were different somehow.

All of the sudden noise is made from the crypt. The four watch as two separate engravings on the crypt spin in different directions, then stop.

"Oh, no." Bobby says

"Bobby, what is it?" Hope asks.

"It's hell."

Dean pulls the Colt from the Crypt.

"Take cover-now!" Bobby yells. All four run behind tombstones as the doors to the crypt burst open. A large black mass erupts from the other side and shoots outward. The demons breach the Devil's Trap and escape.

"What the hell just happened?!" Dean yells.

"That's a devil's gate. A damn door to hell." Faith yells. "Come on! We gotta shut that gate!" Faith and Sam run to the gate and try to shut it.

Dean checks the Colt for bullets. "If the demon gave this to Jake...then maybe..." Thunder crashes and the Yellow Eyed Demon appears behind Dean. He flings the Colt out of Dean's hand and into his own.

"A boy shouldn't play with Daddy's guns." The Yellow eyed demon says. He throws Dean into the air, where Dean hits his head on a tombstone.

"Dean!" Sam and Hope yell together. Sam lets go of the gate door and runs to his brother, as does Hope. Leaving Faith alone to try and shut the door.

The demon throws Sam against a nearby tree. "I'll get to you in a minute, champ. But I'm proud of you-knew you had it in you." He tells Sam. Hope runs up behind the demon and he turns around and grabs her by the throat and pulls her into him, his attention on Dean. "So, Dean...I got to thank you. You see, demons can't resurrect people unless a deal is made. I know, red tape-it'll make you nuts. But thanks to you, Sammy's back in rotation." He laughs and Dean looks sadly at Hope. "Oh, she didn't know…Now, I wasn't counting on that, but I'm glad. I liked him better than Jake, anyhow. Tell me-have you ever heard the expression, "If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is?"

"Let her go you son of a bitch."

"Oh I wouldn't worry about her." He strokes Hope's hair, "I wouldn't dare hurt a tiny hair on her beautiful head. Now about your deal…"

"You call that deal good?" Dean asks.

"Well, it's a better shake than your dad ever got. And you never wondered why? I'm surprised at you. I mean...you saw what your brother just did to Jake, right? That was pretty cold, wasn't it?" He chuckles. "How certain are you that what you brought back, is 100% pure Sam? You of all people should know, that's what's dead, should stay dead. Anyway...thanks a bunch. I knew I kept you alive for some reason. Until now, anyway. I couldn't have done it without your pathetic, self-loathing, self-destructive desire to sacrifice yourself for your family." He throws Hope at Dean and he protectively holds her.

As the Demon cocks the Colt, John Winchester grabs the demon from behind. The body the demon possessed falls to the ground, the gun still in hand, while John and the demon wrestle. The demon pushes him to the ground and enters the body once more. When he stands up, Dean shoots him with the Colt. The demon then falls to the ground, dead.

Bobby and Faith close the gate doors and turn to see John. The father puts his hand on Dean's shoulder, both are crying, while Sam stands on the side and gives his father a nod. With another look at Dean, John glances at Hope and smiles. He steps back and disappears.

The four of them are standing over the demon's smoking body, astonished.

"Well, check that off the to-do list." Dean said.

"You did it…" Sam says.

"I didn't do it alone." Dean said.

"Do you think Dad really...do you think he really climbed outta hell?" Sam asked.

"The door was open. If anyone's stubborn enough to do it...it would be him." Faith said.

"Where do you think he is now?" Sam asked.

"I don't know."

"I kind of can't believe it, Dean. I mean...our whole lives, everything...has been prepping for this, and now I..." He chuckles, "I kind of don't know what to say."

"I do." Dean leans closer to the body. "That was for our mom...you son of a bitch."

Hope grins, "Yeah, and our parents."

The three of them are walking towards the Impala,"You know, when Jake saw me...it was like he saw a ghost. I mean, hell, you heard him, Dean. He said he killed me."

"I'm glad he was wrong." Dean said giving Faith a look.

"I don't think he was, Dean. What happened...after I was stabbed?"

"I already told you." Dean said.

"Not everything." Sam said.

"Sam, we just killed the demon. Can we celebrate for a minute?" Faith asked, trying to change the subject.

"Did I die?" Sam asked. "Did you sell your soul for me, like Dad did for you?"

"Oh, come on! No!" Dean yelled.

"Tell me the truth. Dean, tell me the truth." Dean stays silent just staring at him, "Fine, Hope." He says turning to face her, knowing she wont be able to lie to him.

"Sam..." Dean chuckles.

Sam's voice breaks, "How long do you get?"

"One year. I got one year." Dean says

"You shouldn't have done that. How could you do that?"

"Don't get mad at him. Don't you do that." Faith said, defending Dean.

"You let him do this?" Sam said angry at Faith.

"What? Of course I didn't LET him do this…"

"How could you?!" Sam says to Faith.

"Back off her alright Sam!" Dean says. "She went there first, she tried to sell her sole to get you back ok! Hell she about killed me when I told her what I did….I had to. I had to look out for you. That's my job." Dean says.

"And what do you think my job is?" Sam asks. "You've saved my life over and over. I mean, you sacrifice everything for me. Don't you think I'd do the same for you? You're my big brother. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. And I don't care what it takes, I'm gonna get you out of this. Guess I gotta save your ass for a change."

"Yeah." Dean grins.

"Well...Yellow Eyed Demon might be dead. But a lot more got through that gate." Bobby says approaching.

"How many, you think?" Hope asks

"Hundred. Maybe two hundred. It's an army. He's unleashed an army." Faith says.

"Hope to hell you boys are ready. 'Cause the war has just begun." Bobby says.

"Well then, I guess we better get started." Dean says opening the trunk to the Impala and throwing the colt inside. "We got work to do."

Faith paced outside the hotel, walking back and forth across the parking lot, there was so many things stirring around in her head and she didn't know how to sort them out. She sighed walking up to the coke machine, "This sucks, that's the only way to put it, it just frickin sucks."

"What sucks?" Said a man's raspy voice from behind her.

She turned around to find a very tall well-built of a man standing there. He was much larger then Sam and you could probably crack glass with his ripped body. His hair was black, a little shaggy, a tad grey, and he had a nicely trimmed beard and mustache. "Um, nothing…" She replied.

"Oh I don't know about that, you have been pacing out here for 20 minutes" The man said crossing his arms.

"What are you some sort of creeper?" She said.

He laughed some, "No, names Joe. I'm here with my buddy Chase. Helping him out with something."

She wrinkled her eye brows, why was that name so familiar to her. "Chase huh…what are you helping him with?" She asked suspiciously.

"Just some things."

While Faith was in the parking lot interrogating the new stranger, Sam was out buying lots of beer and some pizza. Hope and Dean were up in the hotel room.

"Tell me its not true…that I am going to wake up and all of this is going to just have been a bad dream." Hope said to Dean.

"I wish I could." He said regretfully.

"How could you do this to me?!" She yelled getting up off the bed and moving closer to Dean who was leaning against the wall. "One year Dean!"

"Look I already heard the speech from your sister alright!" He yelled back.

"Your such an ass!"

"Well what was I supposed to do huh? Let him die? Let your sister go into some sort of depression?"

"Oh please! Don't try and make this about them Dean, it was about you, it was always about you! YOU'RE THE one who cant live without Sam cause your to damn afraid of being alone!" She took in a breath, "I get it alright! But your not alone anymore ok, you have me!"

"Hope, he's my brother, I couldn't just let him die. What would you have done if it were Faith?"

"Honestly, not sell my frickin soul to a demon! How do you think Sam feels knowing that your going to hell for him?"

"Hope please, I don't need this right now…."

"I don't care Dean, I need this right now." She began to cry, "I need to yell at you, tell you how stupid you are. I need you to know how hurt I am…." Tears began to fall rapidly from her face. "I hate you for making me love you, I hate that I only get one more year with you…I hate…." She paused, trying to calm down but she couldn't. Dean reached out and pulled her in close.

"Don't do this Hope, please."

She pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes, "I can't do this Dean…"

"Joe, we gotta hit the road!" Chase yelled as he approached them, he studies Faith for a moment. "Faith?"

Faith looked at him and instantly knew who he was, the guy from the Nemesis/Thor case. "What the hell are you doing here?" She said reaching her hand out to shake his.

He smiled and took her hand, "Oh ya know, demons and all."

"Yeah yell me about it, we got some serious issues." Faith said.

"So we heard, something about the gates of hell opening and demons getting out…any of this true?" Chase asked.

"Unfortunately yeah."

"Damn, what's your plan?"

"Honestly, it involves lots of liquor."

Chase grinned at her, "By the way, Joe this is Faith, she's one hell of a hunter."

"Pleasure.." He said to her.

"What do you mean you cant do this?" Dean asked.

"You cant ask me to stay here, falling more and more in love with you just to have you die in a year. You cant ask that of me…"

"Hope don't…"

"I'm sorry Dean, but its over. I have to leave." She started walking to the door.

"What, your just going to leave? That's it?"

She ignored him and kept telling herself to keep walking and to never look back.

"Fine! Who the hell needs you anyways!" Dean yelled, that hurt her and tears began to fall but she just kept walking, slowly shutting the door behind her, leaving Dean alone, and teary eyed.

"Faith!" Dean yelled as he ran outside.

"Dean what is it?" She asked running over to him.

"Its Hope, she took off."

"What?! Why?"

"Because of me, because I'm a stupid ass!" He yelled. "What the hell is he doing here?!" He yelled noticing Chase.

"Just calm down, ignore him, where did she go?"

"Hell I don't know, she just frickin left."

"Don't worry, I'll find her." Faith said taking the keys to the Impala and chasing after her sister.

Hope was walking down the highway, tears still fell from her face. "Why? Huh? WHY?!" She yelled into the night, "Haven't I given enough? Sacrificed enough?! Why do you just have to keep taking from me?!" She feel to the ground as the Impala drove up behind her. Faith jumped out and ran over to her sister. She began to look Hope over, making sure she was ok.

"Hey, you alright?" She asked.

Hope looked up at Faith, "How did it feel when Sam died?"

Faith hesitated before answering, "It hurt like hell, I felt like a part of me had been ripped out. But I wouldn't change it for the world Hope, If Sam never came back, I wouldn't have wished I never met the guy. You will regret this day for the rest of your life if you leave now." She took in a breath, "We can find a way to save him ok?"

"Why did he do it?"

Faith halfway smiled, "I would have done the same for you, its called passion Hope, and even though Dean and I are hard and cold, we still have passion. It lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules our existents, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes, more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd never really be living."

Hope hugged Faith, "Thanks, that was deep." She teased.

"Shut up…" Faith said helping Hope to her feet. "Now, what do ya say we head back and figure all this shit out?"

Hope nodded and they headed for the car.

"Oh by the way, Chase is there. He and some other hot dude."

"Serious? This day couldn't get any worse."

Just then the Impala was surrounded by a horde of demons, Faith glanced at Hope, "You were saying…"

**This is the end to this book! But look for the next book, which I will be posting soon, "Supernatural: Lilith Rising"**

**Thanks for reading!  
**


End file.
